The Eternal Vows
by BStyles4Life
Summary: Ever since Molly found out Morgan's little secret, he's been attacking everything I've ever come in contact with. And why does Millie keep attacking me? I wish she would just tell me what's on her mind, because it's not getting any easier for this family.
1. Prologue

_"Millie…"_

"No…not yet…not now…"

_"Millie…it's time."_

Millie tossed and turned, but when she finally opened her eyes, she found herself drifting in endless space. She looked all around her, but could not find the source of the voice.

_"It's been twelve years since we last spoke,"_ Said a floating pair of green eyes. _"Too much time to tell him."_

"I've tried everything I could to help him figure it out," She said. "But his thoughts have been so preoccupied with other things, and he hasn't been home very often."

_"So I've seen. These times are very troubling."_

"Please, I need more time," Millie pleaded. "I can guarantee that I'll get him to recognize me somehow."

The eyes closed and there was a great sigh. _"I'm afraid you've run out of time."_

Millie looked up at the pair of eyes, utterly in shock.

_"You have three months left,"_ She said. _"If after then he doesn't recognize you, then you will have no other choice but to give up your present form."_

"That means…I'll die?"

_"I'm afraid so."_

The eyes started to fade away, and soon disappeared. When Millie blinked, she was looking up at Molly's worried face.

"Millie? Are you alright?"

'If only she knew…' Tears started forming in her eyes, and she started to cry, burying her face in Molly's chest.


	2. Chasing Destruction

**This is the third installment to this series. This story will be updated in real time, and should progress throughout the summer. The weather in my area is very cloudy, and ironically it reflects on the story. Enjoy reading.**

* * *

I panted as I ran after a trail of destruction left by whatever I was chasing. For three weeks I had been running, with barely any food or rest, walking through burning forests and small towns that had been reduced to rubble. Not a soul was found out of all of this, which led me to believe that they either escaped with their lives, or perished instantaneously with their households. That was brutal for any killer this powerful, and they were going to pay when I found them.

"Calvin, stop."

I skid to a halt and looked back. "Cresselia, what's wrong?"

She glided up to me. "Calvin, are you okay?"

"No, I'm not," I said. "Whoever is doing this…has no remorse at all for all the lives they've taken."

"I was concerned about the way you were thinking," She said. "…please tell me that you're not about to stoop to the level of whoever we're chasing."

For starters, I took a deep breath; we had been running for a while. "I'm not a murderer, Cresselia. I just want to find the person doing this so that destruction ceases."

She narrowed her eyes. "Why don't I believe you?"

I groaned and was about to answer, when a powerful explosion came from nearby; they were at it again.

"Come on, everyone!" I called to the group of legendaries following me. "They're near!"

* * *

__

Three weeks prior…

Arceus summoned me personally, to the hall for a meeting. It had been almost half a year since we last spoke. Between me and work at finding Morgan, and her frequent absences with Giratina, it was about time she and I talked. When I arrived in her den, There were three other Legendaries—Suicune, Moltres, another legendary, though who showed many signs of resemblance to a crescent moon, also had a striking resemblance to Latias. Arceus asked me to bring Electivire along, and with no argument, here we were. The unknown legendary started to stare at me with annoyance.

"This is the one I've heard so much about?" She asked.

Arceus nodded. "Calvin, it has come to my attention that there have been some very disturbing anomalies erupting all over Sinnoh. I need you to investigate."

"What type of 'anomalies'?"

"Towns reduced to rubble, raging fires in forests, and the list goes on."

"I see," It sounded serious enough to cut my search for Morgan short, and look into this. "Well then…you're assigning me a team?"

"So to say," She went on. "Calvin, you already know Moltres and Suicune, but I would like to introduce you to Cresselia. I don't believe you've met."

"So you're Cresselia," I've never seen her in person, but I've heard Arceus mention her name every so often at the meetings. She is said to be the one to put an end to whatever Darkrai has started, and only seeing _him_ once, and only once, in my lifetime, that must've been quite a lot of power. "It's nice to finally meet you."

Her annoyed expression hadn't changed, making me very uncomfortable, and I cleared my throat and turned back to Arceus. "Is that all?"

"You'll need a guide," Arceus continued. "One who will lead you in the right direction as you find the source of these anomalies and put a stop to them. So, I'm assigning you with—"

"I think I already know!" Something crawled up my leg and up under my jacket. I couldn't help but laugh, and I fell over, whatever it was, finally getting to my head and started prancing all over it. "Shaymin!"

"I heard you!" He growled, looking down at me. "You didn't even notice I was here!"

"Thank you, for emphasizing that."

_

* * *

_

Present day…

I pushed some shrubs aside and looked around. Yet another town had been reduced to rubble.

"That's impossible!" I walked around. "One explosion was all it took?"

I looked through what was left of the houses. It was horrifying. Only the town had been destroyed; no rocks had been displaced, nor were the trees affected by the explosion. Literally, it looked as if all the houses had imploded and was now reduced to debris. The others joined me and started looking around for any survivors. I spotted something that hadn't been destroyed in the blast: a toy bear. I picked it up, and started to look at it. I was so overwhelmed with grief I could feel tears forming in my eyes.

"This is unbelievable…"

"Calvin!" Everyone shouted. "Behind you!"

I spun around, only to get hit in the chest by a ball of energy. It sent me flying back across the path, but I caught my ground and unsheathed the sword. Whatever it was had already disappeared.

"Dammit," I mumbled. "Cresselia! Can you track it?"

"Of course," Her eyes lit up, and she started looking around. "He's heading north, northwest."

'He's not getting away this time!' I ran through the trees, in an attempt to catch up with him. After about ten minutes of running, I had no Idea where I was. "Maybe he is…"

Moltres flew above me, apparently spotting something and revving up for an attack. At the same time, Suicune picked me up by the collar of my jacket and threw me up onto his back, then started running in the same direction.

Shaymin peeked out of my hood, having just awoken from sleep. "What happened?"

"We found him," I said. "We're finally going to catch this guy."

Moltres fired her attack, only to have it reflected into the sky. She shielded herself with her wings; the resulting cinders scattering everywhere. We definitely didn't need another fire here. Ahead of us, we spotted the person that reflected the attack. He was just trying to escape when he heard us approaching. As I looked closer, the shape of the person bore a striking resemblance to that pokémon I went up against a last year, after Mismagius took down Morgan's helicopter.

"Suicune stop!" He stopped abruptly, ejecting me through the air. I caught my ground, and waved the sword just as the pokémon conjured up a psychic attack. Our attacks collided, and dust and smoke ensued, but before I could give it a chance to attack again, I waved the sword, summoning up some Dark energy this time. "A queen for a queen!" The attack threw it back into a tree, and it fell to the ground, seemingly unconscious. I sheathed the sword, and slowly walked towards it. Now that I had a good chance to look at it, it was wearing a ton of armor, meant probably to protect its body. But this wasn't your normal armor. There were tubes protruding from its hands and neck, connecting and probably…feeding him?

"Down for the count," I said, reaching out to its helmet. "But let's see who you really are."

I crossed my fingers and prayed that it was Morgan. As the helmet slowly came off of its head, I spotted fur beneath. No, this was definitely a pokémon, so I sighed and continued pulling.

_"Help me…"_

I stopped pulling its helmet off for a second and looked at it. "What did you say?"

Suddenly its eyes started to glow a bright blue once more, and it started to levitate. I jumped back and unsheathed the sword again. It fixed its helmet back, and started to power up. _"HELP ME!"_ It yelled, in a maniacal fit of laughter and rage. It exerted a strong wave of psychic power, blowing all of us back. I landed on the ground and quickly looked up; it was gone.

"So close!" I said, getting up. Electivire joined me.

"Calvin, look!"

I had gotten up, but no one else had. I started to fear the worst.

"Cresselia!" I ran over to her. "Cresselia, are you alright?"

"Thanks for the concern," She said, opening her eyes. "But I'm fine."

She got up, and quickly recovered her energy. Shaymin jumped out of my hood and went to check on Suicune. Moltres landed, and as soon as everyone was accounted for, we stood in a circle.

"It's gone, Calvin," Cresselia said, wrapping up her telepathic search. "Whatever energy it was exerting…it has diminished, now."

"So the trail has gone cold," I picked up the sword and sheathed it again. "Just what exactly did it mean by "help me"?"

"Nothing important," Suicune replied.

"Maybe not," I had second thoughts about this statement, but there was no way that it could be forgiven for all the things it's done. "Let's move out. It couldn't have gotten far."

Moltres took to the sky. Suicune dashed off into the forest. Shaymin crawled up into my hood again and Electivire and I were just about to follow, when Cresselia stopped me.

"You think otherwise, Calvin?"

I sighed. "Seven years ago, Arceus fell under the control of a man named Mateo, using this sword. Last year, the same thing happened to Rayquaza. I don't know if it's happening _again_, but I'm open to the idea that we might be experiencing the same thing here."

"What if you're wrong, Calvin?" She asked. "What if it's some deliberate plot to try and lure you into a trap?"

"That's why I'm only open to the idea!" I started running again. "If he's under control, I have ways of clarifying that. If not, then we take him down!"

* * *

_A couple of miles away, at the Galactic Eterna Headquarters…_

"Dr. Morgan," A scientist called, running up to him.

"What is it, Dr. Langer?"

"W-We have a problem."

Morgan followed him back down the hall, almost taking off into a run himself. He and the scientist got back to the lab where he gave him a set of papers.

"The test results, sir," He said.

Morgan looked them over. "These test results are remarkable. What's the problem?"

"It was attacked, sir," Morgan followed him to the screen. Beneath it were engineers. They were monitoring heart rates, respiratory functions, and all muscular movement having to do with the pokémon they were controlling. "We recovered this clip before the camera in its helmet failed."

Morgan looked it over, and paused it at a specific frame. He clenched his fists.

"Calvin Winthrop…" He growled. "I shouldn't have let him get away last time."

"Yes sir, but that's not all."

Around him were the legendary pokémon Suicune, Moltres, and Cresselia. Morgan dropped the papers he was holding, and walked up to the screen.

"Impossible…" As he got closer, he spotted a Shaymin in the hood of his jacket. "Tell me that that's impossible!"

"It's impossible," Dr. Langer continued. "It seems that he's _befriended_ these pokémon, sir."

'For years I've searched for legendary pokémon such as these,' Morgan thought. 'I've finally found the reason as to why he was so persistent on saving that eon dragon…'

Morgan thought up an idea. "How bad is it injured?"

"It used a diversion to escape, and is currently recovering in the mountains."

Morgan nodded. "When he recovers, it has an objective—directly from me."

"What's the objective, sir?"

"Latias," He continued. "I've researched, and come up with a theory: a psychic type, given enough power, can literally wipe the memory of a human being, or another pokémon. Since our psychic here has mastered a substantial amount of its abilities, I would like it to do that to Latias."

"What will we accomplish by doing that, sir?"

"Calvin has befriended the eon dragon," Morgan went on. Dr. Langer was still confused. "This _means_ that he will rush to her aid if something were to happen to her."

"And he'll be clueless as to how to help her since she will no longer remember him!"

"Which means we'll be in the clear for moving into phase two of our plan," Morgan clasped his hands behind his back and strolled to the door. "Make haste, gentlemen."

Morgan walked down the hall and back towards his office.

'Your day will come soon, Calvin,' Morgan thought. 'And I _will_ have my way.'


	3. U Turn

I stared at the campfire late that night. We went on for hours trying to catch up to the pokémon we were chasing, but it had proven me wrong and was long gone before we ever started searching. And although my mind said to go on, my body said to rest, and we settled down in a small opening in the woods. The ring on my finger glimmered in the fire. I pulled it off and started to look at it, quickly remembering one aspect of my marriage with Emelina that never came to be.

"Calvin?" Cresselia called, looking up at me.

"Oh, I'm sorry if I woke you."

"You didn't," She said, gliding over. "I'm awake at night most of the time. But what about you?"

I continued to stare at my ring. "No, it's nothing…"

"…a wedding ring?" She asked. "Who's the lucky woman?"

"No one. I've already been married."

"You don't sound too happy."

I looked up. "My wife, Emelina…she passed away in December of 1998."

"Oh…I'm so sorry to hear that."

I held the ring up. "She was the most beautiful woman a man like me didn't deserve…and this year would have marked 20 years since our marriage," I put the ring back on. "I don't let my mind dwell on it often, but it really doesn't feel like she's left, you know. Everywhere I go, it feels like she's following me, like…like she's watching over me."

"Maybe she's trying to tell you something."

"Yeah. Don't forget to wash the dishes." We laughed softly. "You know, Cresselia, you're a nice person to have a conversation with."

"Likewise," She said. "Get some rest, Calvin."

"I might have to take you up on that offer," I took off the sword and fell back into the grass and looked at the stars. 'What _are_ you trying to tell me, Emmy?'

* * *

The next morning when I woke up, the fire was running on its last few cinders. Everyone was still sleeping, including Cresselia, so I got up to stretch. It was incredibly foggy.

_"__You're up early, Calvin."_

I quickly looked around. "Who said that?" Everyone was still asleep. I slowly reached for the sword, only to have it brushed out of my reach. I sighed and looked up. The armored pokémon was levitating a few feet away.

"You've got some nerve coming back here," It started to sound as if he was laughing. "What's so funny?"

_"How helpless you are,"_ I gritted my teeth. _"You honestly think you can take me without your sword?"_

I relaxed myself. "You seem a bit too overconfident. You could've just killed me by now."

_"True. But I prefer watching you suffer."_

This I couldn't understand. "Excuse me?"

_"__While you're out here chasing after me, who is protecting your daughter?"_

I finally put the pieces together. "Don't you dare touch her!"

It continued laughing. _"__What? And you plan to stop me?"_

"I can try!" I fell back onto the ground and reached for the sword. I picked it up, and looked around. The pokémon had vanished. "Where the hell did he go?" I could still feel its presence lingering around. It had gone invisible to try and taunt me.

_"__I don't plan to harm your daughter, so relax,"_ I wasn't buying into it. _"My objective rests with another…someone she knows…someone you promised to protect…"_

'How in the hell does he know about this?' I thought to myself. Apparently it heard.

_"__I've been watching you, reading your thoughts,"_ It continued. _"They're all you ever think about, something that would kill you if anything were to happen to them…"_

"And what would Morgan have thought if I killed you yesterday?" There was a long pause, which meant I gained the upper hand in this conversation. "I had one mind to kill you, and it was only because you responded with a cry for help…"

_"__I let you go—"_

"You didn't let me go, you escaped," I continued. "Come on, you're not a puppet. Morgan can't control you forever," I made out the shape of his body in the air next to me. "You don't have one mind to do what you're doing, and I know you don't. You and I both know you can fight him."

_"__Who's fighting?"_ And orb of psychic energy appeared in the air. _"There is no battle!"_

"We'll see about that!" I struck the sword into the ground, creating a semi-earthquake that shook the entire area. It in turn, dropped the ball of psychic energy which I caught and threw back at it. That probably didn't hurt it much, but it did enough damage to disrupt its concentration, causing it to reveal itself. By now, the earthquake had alerted the entire group and, wide awake, we stood in a formation around it.

"Now!"

With combined attacks, it was engulfed in an explosion. I covered my face as dust blew up everywhere, but even with all of our attacks, I could still hear it laughing.

_"__I'll be sure to give Latias my regards,"_ There was a bright flash. I ran into the dust cloud, but I was too late.

"Calvin?" Cresselia called. "Are you alright?"

The dust cleared. I looked at all of them.

"It's headed for Alto Mare."

* * *

_"__Melinda, wake up…"_

She groaned and turned over. "Do I have to?"

_"__Not unless you want a failing grade…"_ Molly cringed.

Her eyes shot open, and she looked up to Mrs. Giordano's irritated face. The class broke into laughter, but she only sighed.

"See me after class."

More embarrassed than she could imagine, she nodded and Mrs. Giordano walked back to her desk. Molly didn't remember ever falling asleep in her class that morning. Then again, it was hard trying to stay awake through her lecture. When the bell rang, everyone rushed out of her room, but Molly only packed her things and proceeded to her desk. Mrs. Giordano finished sharpening a pencil and placed it in a cup with a few others, then looked up to her.

"You know, I excused you the first two days," She said, clasping her hands and looking at Molly with utter disappointment. "But sleeping through my class three days in a row? What's going on, Melinda?"

"Mrs. Giordano, you know that I wouldn't do anything to disrespect you, but," Molly sighed. "It's just that…my dad's Milotic…Millie…she's been crying relentlessly and she means a lot to me, but I have no idea how to comfort her, so I've been staying up late to try and get her back to sleep."

"At the cost of your own vitality," She said. "Where's your father?"

"He's running an errand way out in Sinnoh."

"I see," She pulled her grade book out of her drawer and looked into it. "Melinda, your grades so far have been outstanding in my class, but if you keep this up, you A will slip to a B, then a C, and so on and so forth…you have to try and get some sleep, understand?"

"I will," Molly swung her bag over her arm. "Um…Mrs. Giordano? How did you know I was sleeping? I'm the quietest one in the class."

"Awake, maybe, but asleep…" Molly put her hand over her mouth. Mrs. Giordano broke a smile, and more embarrassed than before, she slipped out of her classroom and into the hallway, walking directly into Matt in the process.

"Oh…um…hi, Molly."

"Hi…" She replied coldly. Now that she knew his last name, there was a totally different atmosphere between them. She saw his father in his eyes every time she looked at him, and it just made her refuse any contact with him. She knew that some may think it was stupid that he would ever turn out like his father, but to her it was emotionally disturbing. She waved him goodbye and continued to Mr. Mancini's class, leaving him standing alone in that hallway.

* * *

_"__Molly…"_

Molly groaned again. "Can't I just get a few hours of sleep today?"

_"__Shouldn't you be in your bed doing that?"_ She couldn't help but guess where she chose to fall asleep now. She slowly opened her eye, immediately staring into another amber-colored one looking right back at her. _"Hi!" _She opened both of her eyes and looked around. She was lying on a pile of books in her father's office at the restaurant. She couldn't even remember leaving school.

"Hi, Molly," A human voice greeted. She looked up, and saw Bianca. The day wasn't looking any better for her. "I'm not interrupting, am I?"

"No, not really," Molly got up and yawned. "I just got back from school."

Both Bianca and Latias pointed to their wrists, suggesting a look at the time. Molly checked her watch. It was well past 6 in the afternoon.

"Oh," She chuckled. "Sorry, I've been out of it lately."

_"No Harm done"_ Latias said. _"So…what was it that you wanted to talk to us about?"_

"Okay, so," She pulled out a sketchbook, and they all sat down on the carpet. "Mr. Mancini was kind of disturbed by my last picture, and he's given me a "C-" for it. He says that he will only partially accept it as a passing grade because of "the message it portrays", and because of the way I handed it to him."

"He was always a tough grader," Bianca added.

"So now, he's given me a summer project to compensate for the remaining passing grade. I really want to impress him during the fall semester, so I decided to draw…a Milotic. And who better than Millie?"

"Whoa, whoa," Bianca said. "Don't jump the gun just yet. Drawing a Milotic is very complex—it requires you to pay attention to every aspect, especially the emotion it expresses. It really enhances the meaning of the picture."

"Have you ever done it before?" Molly asked, in need of some backbone before she started.

"Three, during my lifetime."

'Well, I could give it a shot,' Molly thought. "Latias, what do you—" She wasn't paying much attention. Instead, she was looking around as if she had just heard something. "Latias?"

She looked at us. _"Didn't you just hear that?"_

Molly looked at Bianca. She shrugged. "Hear _what_?"

_"__Someone called my name!"_ She said frantically, and got up, and glided over to the windows. _"Just now, telepathically! And I think I know where it came from."_

She opened the windows and flew outside, leaving the two girls alone, in Calvin's office.

"Should we follow?" Molly asked.

"We should," Bianca replied.

They ran downstairs and out to the street. High above them, Latias had flown off in the direction of the park, so they followed as quickly as they could from the ground.

"What are the chances that someone would call her like that?" Bianca asked. Molly shrugged.

* * *

Latias came to a halt, directly over the park. She looked around in search of the voice; it felt to her like it came from there.

_"__Hello?"_ She called. _"__Are you there?"_

There was soft laughter. _"Not close."_

'_Well give me a hint!'_ Latias whined.

The voice sighed. _"I am at someplace that you choose to call…home."_

With that sentence, it didn't take her long to figure out where the voice was coming from. _"Aha, the garden!"_ Latias quickly focused her thoughts on the garden, teleporting from the park to her home. She reappeared by the fountain, and started looking around.

_"__I've narrowed it down,"_ She had a few guesses as to who this could be. _"Come out, come out, wherever you are…"_

This time there was no reply. Instead, there was a laugh, which seemed to grow more and more sinister with its duration. Latias became nervous.

_"__Right where I wanted you,"_ She heard something approaching her from behind, and she and spun around. Startled at the figure looming in front of her, she moved back. It sighed.

_"__There is nothing to be afraid of,"_ It said.

"You're the one Calvin told me about, Latias said. "You're the one who attacked him!"

It scoffed. _"Well I had hoped that this would go smooth…"_

"What do you mean?"

Its eyes started to glow. _"I've been ordered to erase your memory."_

It dashed towards her with an incredible speed; hands glowing. Latias, in turn, grabbed its arms and threw it across the garden. It landed, and rolled a few times before skidding to a halt, having been amazed from her strength—she was trained by the best. Latias had one mind to escape so she darted further into the garden, in an attempt to lose it. When she considered herself out of danger, she stopped and took a deep breath.

_"__Did you honestly think I couldn't find you?"_

It appeared in front of her, and tried to grab her again. She put up a barrier, blocking it for the moment, but its hands eventually started to phase through it, and it pulled the barrier apart, and placed its hands on the sides of her head. Everything went quiet.

"Let me go!" Latias struggled against it, but with another flash of its eyes her body went painfully stiff. "Wh—What are you doing?"

_"In a moment you won't remember any of this."_

* * *

Molly and Bianca followed Latias to the park before she disappeared into the late afternoon sky. Moments later, they heard a scream; only it wasn't aloud, it was telepathic, giving her and Bianca serious headaches. That was Latias' voice.

"Bianca!" She looked at me. "Where is she?"

She held her head. "I have…I have one mind to check the garden!"

Molly looked at her bracelet. It wasn't glowing very bright, so there wasn't an entrance there. It looked like Bianca had one of those too, only it was a necklace and she stared at it for a second before looking at Molly again.

"Come on, I know a place," She said. "One where the doorway is always open!"

Molly followed her back across the city to the Museum of Alto Mare. She was in awe that an entrance would be in a place trekked by thousands of people every day. She followed anyway, and Bianca led her up a set of concealed stairs to an office, just like at the restaurant.

"It turns out that many of the buildings, like this one and your dad's restaurant were built by the same architects," She said, opening a door on the far wall revealing a very cramped broom closet. "These rooms used to be used for storing supplies until the building was finished, but they were never filled in…this way!"

She ran into the closet and disappeared. Molly hesitantly followed, stepping through the vortex and into the garden. Latias wasn't here, but sounds of a struggle could be heard from nearby. They ran through the trees and bushes to come to an opening, where Latias was trying to break free of the grip of some sort of pokémon, wearing heavy armor, and with eyes and hands glowing on Latias' head, looked like it was hurting her. The energy output was so intense that there were large rocks floating through the air.

"What is that thing?" Molly took a rock in her hand. The weight immediately followed.

"I don't know, but it's about to have a serious headache."

She threw the rock. The pokémon didn't anticipate it in time and it hit it head on, throwing it back into a tree. Latias dropped to the ground, with the rocks eventually following. Furious, he shook it off and got back up. There was dent in his helmet.

_"You're lucky that my job here is done,"_ It said, in a male voice Molly knew she had heard somewhere before, and it disappeared. The two didn't have time to wonder if it was trapping them or not. Latias showed no signs of movement. They ran across to her and knelt at her sides.

"Latias?" Bianca rubbed her head. "Please wake up!"

There was no sign. She and Molly looked at each other.

Suddenly there was a loud groan. They both looked down again, and Latias' eyes were slowly starting to open. They took a deep breath.

_"__Molly…Bianca…"_

"Yes, it's us," Molly said. "Are you alright?"

They helped her up. She held her head.

_"__Ow…I have a splitting headache. What happened?"_

"You don't remember?" Molly asked.

_"__Well, I remember being in your dad's office, but everything after that is just a blur."_

She and Bianca looked at each other again and agreed that it was probably best if she didn't know. "Well it was nothing to worry about."

They walked Latias back to the fountain. She splashed some water on her face, and then looked up at the soul dew. She started to stare at it curiously.

_"__Wow,"_ She picked it up, and held it in her paws. _"What is this?"_

Molly and Bianca stared at her in awe.

"Latias…that's the soul dew," Bianca said. "The soul of a passed Lati—your brother."

_"__Wait…"_ She started to look confused herself. _"Bianca…I don't have a brother."_

Molly shook her head. "Latias…Latios is your brother. He's a lifetime memory…he helped me get to know you better…honestly, you have to remember that."

_"__No, I don't,"_ She said_. "I know you two are my friends, but I don't remember ever having a brother."_

They looked at each other again. That pokémon tried to wipe her memory, and when Molly threw the rock at it, it only interrupted the process, erasing just a fraction, but a vital portion of her memory—the most important part…Latios.

Their whole week had just gone from bad to worse.


	4. Crossing Paths

**I decided to re-introduce a very minor character from the first story as one of the main characters in this one. You may know her.**

* * *

The following morning Cresselia, Moltres, and Suicune dashed off towards Mt. Coronet to inform Arceus that I was heading back home, and that this mission had come to a screeching halt. Leaving Sinnoh when all this damage had been done already made me feel like I should've done something more, but I had no other choice.

"Calvin!" That sounded like Electivire. He didn't usually talk much so hearing his voice now threw me off. "One question."

"What's that?"

"How are we supposed to get back home from here?" Oh…crap. I hadn't thought of that.

"Well…we could…" I unsheathed the sword. As long as I had Molly's star, I could use any elemental type. "We could teleport!"

"With that thing?" Electivire didn't approve of me using the sword as a liable teleport option. I nearly turned myself inside-out trying to teleport from my house to the restaurant once. I was late, what could I say?

"Oh come on, just this once!" Electivire turned away. I groaned. "We're running out of time. Molly and Latias could be in danger, if not already."

"Oh, so that's your excuse," His sentences were also short and to-the-point. "You get one try."

"Okay," I took a deep breath, and focused on somewhere secluded back home in Alto Mare, like…like the terrace. I pointed the sword in the air and waved it downwards. It was as if a giant pair of scissors cut a rift in the air in front of me, and a vortex opened up. "Here goes nothing."

I walked through. Almost immediately I could feel my body hurtling downwards, and before I knew it I landed hard on the ground, grass in my mouth. And to make it worse, Electivire had immediately followed, crushing me under his weight. He was standing on his feet though.

"Hey!" He got off of me, and picked me up. "How did you know when to—"

"I had guessed that you asked to teleport home, but failed to specify in which direction," I glared at him. He shrugged. "We were going somewhere?"

"Right," I waved the sword through the portal and it disappeared. We ran through the house, it being completely empty. I knew that Staraptor had gone on a flight, and that Mismagius had gone to the restaurant to join Gallade, but where were Typhlosion and Millie?

* * *

I pushed the restaurant door open. "Hey Mismagius, what's the status?"

"Danielle and Gallade are in the back," She whispered. "Molly came by earlier on her way to the museum."

"Did she seem like she was in trouble?"

"Not to my understanding."

"Okay thanks," I walked to the door when I suddenly remembered something else and spun around. "Oh. Have you seen Millie?"

"Molly asked Typhlosion to accompany her for the day. She's been acting very strange lately."

"She probably misses me," We've never been apart more than a few days, so I'm sure she'll be happy to see me. "Okay, I'm off to the museum."

I pulled the door shut and Electivire and I ran across town to the museum. I found a shortcut that I came across a few years back that sliced through the back alleyways of houses and never made any contact with the canals. About ten minutes later, we came out onto a street that led straight to the museum. I passed a group of tourists and was about twenty feet away from the front doors when I skid to a halt, and looked back. I had just had a horrible case of déjà vu.

"What in the hell?" I looked into the crowd of tourists, and saw a young girl, probably no more than fourteen, holding a Shinx in her hands and listening to the guide as he said something about the ancient history of the city. I knew I had seen that face somewhere before, and it had to be very significant to cross my mind like this. "Electivire, look at that—"

"We don't have time for this now."

I nodded and walked into the museum. From the looks of it, workers were clearing the main hall, and were decorating, in preparation of a party of some sort. I walked past the workers, some jumping out of the way of Electivire, who seemed to enjoy this. A walk into the library, and I found a staircase leading up to the second floor. From it, I could hear voices; they were very distraught, and one sounded a lot like Molly's voice.

"Molly?" I called. The voices soon stopped, and I could hear footsteps. Soon she appeared. "Molly, are you alright?"

"Dad, thank god you're here!" She ran into my arms. "Yes I'm fine, but you need to come with me."

"Okay," I followed her up to an office—or more preferably to say, an art studio. Bianca was waiting for Molly to come back while her grandfather Lorenzo was pacing a few feet away. "Hello everyone."

"Good afternoon, Calvin," Lorenzo shook my hand. "Girls, why don't you fill him in?"

He continued pacing. I looked at Molly and Bianca.

"It's about Latias," Bianca said. "Yesterday when we were at your restaurant, Latias said that she heard a voice, so she went to investigate. We followed as fast as we could behind her, but after a while she teleported to the garden."

"The next moment we heard a scream," Molly continued "So we rushed to the garden to try and help, when we encountered a—"

"Pokemon, about six feet tall," Their eyes widened. "Wearing tons of armor and glowing blue eyes?"

The room went silent. Even Lorenzo had stopped pacing again due to my knowledge.

"I encountered _him_ a few months back, right outside Olivine City in Johto," I said. "For the last few weeks, he's been wreaking havoc all across Sinnoh. I went to see with my own eyes…Is Latias okay?"

"No," Molly sighed. "When we tried to intervene, he disappeared, leaving us with her. We thought everything was alright, until…"

"…until what?"

"She…she doesn't remember Latios."

There was another pause. I had to register what they both said before I could respond. Latias forgetting all about Latios?

"No…impossible," They looked down. "It _can't_ be possible. They grew up together. They've been through so much…" I put my hand to my head. She was all right, but I was a bit too late. "Where is she?"

"In the garden. She's a bit confused herself, but that's only because she thinks we're playing a joke on her."

"I know it's not possible," I mumbled. "I'm no neurologist, but I do know that certain events, if powerful enough, like a sharp blow to the head," Molly knew instantly, what I was talking about. "Can sometimes lead to a temporary memory loss. Latias didn't just lose fractions of her memory, but she lost an entire half of her life. Mentally, that's not possible, because eventually after that she'll start to get vision bursts, or flashbacks…did you try jogging her memory with things both she and Latios went through?"

"No," Molly looked at Bianca, and they suddenly sprang an idea. "But that's genius!"

"You should try it out," And with that, they both ran out the door. Lorenzo tapped my shoulder.

"That was pretty impressive, Calvin," He said, smiling. "But I must ask you. Why in the world are you wielding a sword?"

"Oh this?" Damn it! I forgot to drop it off at the house! "It's…it's an old family heirloom. I dropped it off at the shop before I left for Sinnoh to have it refurbished."

Lorenzo looked at me for a while, probably not believing a cent of what I had just told him, but I was saved by the bell when his watch started to beep. He sighed and shrugged.

"It does look to be of some sort of sentimental value," He said. "Well, I must get going. We're preparing for the gala in a few days. Will you be attending?"

"I-I'd love to," I wasn't much of a party person, and I was busy at the moment, but while I was at home it made sense to make sure nothing happened to the girls. Lorenzo walked off to the stairs, leaving me with Electivire.

"You know, it's a good thing that I—" He looked at me with disgust. "What?"

"Family heirloom?"

"What would you rather I say?" I whispered. "It's a funny story Lorenzo! It was a gift from Arceus. It's the strongest sword ever forged, so I can't let it out of my sight!"

"Could've worked."

I scoffed. "Unbelievable."

We both argued, walking towards the stairs.

* * *

She walked with the crowd of tourists, taking pictures of everything she found interesting. It was such a beautiful city, but it was a shame that she couldn't explore it…or maybe…

She looked at the tourist guide. He was busy leading the group and talking about the history of the city, from its architects, to present-day efforts to preserve its heritage. Her Shinx yawned.

"I know you're bored," She whispered to him. "But I can't let you out of my sight."

The guide turned around to point at a few of the buildings.

"Until now!" She snuck away from the crowd and slipped into an alleyway. It eventually led to an opposite street, which she started to walk along. She put Shinx down and he ran ahead of her.

"Wait for me!" She groaned. She had never seen him so happy to run and play. Apart from being in her arms all the time, he didn't show much emotion, especially when in the predicament that she found him a few months ago. "Fine…you can have your fun."

Codie walked around, admiring the scenery. It was by far, the most amazing city she had ever seen. There were much more modern cities all around the world, all breathtaking, but there were only a handful that kept their ancient heritage. She took off her bag and dug through it until she found her journal. She opened it, picked up the pencil and started writing.

"_July 21st, 2010,"_ She wrote. _"This is day one of my vacation. I just got off the ferry to Alto Mare this morning. The city looks better than the way it was advertised in the brochure. For the first time, Shinx looks like he's really enjoying himself,"_ She looked up. He had disappeared. _"A little too much."_

She stuffed her journal back into her bag. "Shinx!"

She ran up the street in search of him. He was such a small thing, but she was confident that someone had seen him run by. She asked around, but with absolutely no sightings, her confidence quickly turned into uneasiness. She stopped on a bridge to catch her breath. That's when she heard a cry for help in the canal below.

"Oh no," She looked down into the water and spotted him, trying his hardest to keep his head above the surface. He couldn't swim. "Shinx!"

A few people on the boardwalks that ran along the canal tried to help by throwing ropes out to him, but they came up a bit too short and landed a few feet away. He was fighting helplessly to stay on the surface.

"Come on, there has to be something I can—" She spotted a black streak underwater, headed towards where Shinx was. His head ducked beneath the water just as that streak started to swirl around him, and eventually he was brought back to the surface. He was clinging to a horn or something, and as he rose out of the water it became the head of a Milotic. Codie ran down onto the boardwalk as the Milotic ferried him over to her.

"Thank god you're okay!" She hugged him; his fur eventually getting her wet with water. "Thank you so much!" The Milotic nodded happily.

"Millie, there you are!" She heard a voice approach her, and turned to a man who looked like he knew the Milotic. Then he turned to her. "Is everything alright?" Codie nodded. The Milotic, however, didn't look too pleased to see him. She jumped out of the water and slapped him across the head with the end of her tail. "Ow! What was that for?" She started to cry, and then jumped back into the canal and swam off. He turned back to Codie. "Um…this has been a very long…weird day, but I have to get going. You should take your Shinx to the pokémon center to make sure he's alright."

"Okay." Her Shinx started to shiver. She wrapped him in her jacket. "Where is it?"

He gave her directions and she waved him goodbye, running down the boardwalk and up onto an opposite street. The 'tour' of hers was starting to go bad very quickly.

* * *

"Your Shinx is fine, Ms. Howard," The nurse said to her. Hearing the name "Ms. Howard" made her feel very uncomfortable. "He'll need a good meal and plenty of rest, but it's nothing serious."

"Thank you," She picked up a completely dry Shinx and cradled him in her arms. She exited the pokémon center and continued up the street. "No more running off by yourself, alright?" He nodded, definitely learning his lesson. They stopped at the intersection of two canals, and looked around. Apart from the pokémon center, Codie had no idea where she was. "Hey, look!" She spotted that Milotic from earlier, or as that nice guy called her, Millie. She was swimming slowly through the water, giving tourists a run for their money, or cameras in this case, as she passed by their gondola. Codie laughed, and called out to her. She looked up at Codie, and then jumped up out of the water, and started staring at her curiously. She was so beautiful, and although Codie had a camera, she decided to jot the moment down in her journal.

"_This same afternoon,"_ She wrote. _"I encountered a Milotic. Just like this city, they are beautiful when seen from a distance, or in a picture, but are even better when viewed up close. I wonder if she'll let me touch her…"_

Codie pondered that for a moment, put away her journal, and made an attempt to rub Millie's nose. She didn't resist and instead, came in close enough for her to hug her, which Codie did. Her skin was wet, but it was worth it. Then, all of a sudden, Codie's vision was clouded with pictures of a man and a woman at their wedding. The man looked like the same guy she spoke to earlier, only a lot younger in this picture. Then there was the brown-haired woman whom she had never saw before. She must've been his wife, because she was in every one of the images that Codie saw. She pulled away from the Milotic and her vision returned to normal, almost dropping Shinx in the process. The Milotic looked at her, astounded.

"What was that?" She held her head.


	5. Breach

When I got back to the restaurant, I relieved Danielle and took over, taking a few orders and monitoring the other employees. A few hours had passed since then, and now, with the sun setting, it was almost time to go home. I yawned and started writing some random crap on a sticky note before Bianca and Molly came in, tears in their eyes and spirits broken. I looked up.

"How did it go?"

"Nothing," Molly sat on a stool while Bianca leaned against the counter. "We've tried everything to convince her, but nothing's working. We even went as far as mentioning the DMA, but still no luck."

"I would have at least expected her to retain that memory. I mean that was unforgettable," I really didn't know what I was talking about, since I wasn't there to witness it, but I continued trying to help. "I guess if _we_ can't jog her memory, then we'll have to let time do it."

"Yeah, but how long will that take?" I clasped my hands.

As if to lighten the moment, Millie strode in, looking content with seeing me. The way things went earlier left me on the notion that she was mad at me, so I decided to give her some space to vent out. To top that off, Co…no, wait I can remember this…it's on the tip of my tongue…

I snapped my finger and pointed at her. "Codie."

"Um, yeah…that's my name," She walked up to the counter. "But…I never told you that."

'Oh, damn, she's smart!' I had to think fast before she became suspicious. I couldn't tell her how I knew her name just yet; it might freak her out. "You know what? I knew I recognized your face. I met your parents, seven years ago in Veilstone City. They told me all about you."

She bought it, and I took a deep breath. It would be best to introduce myself too. "My name's Calvin. Calvin Winthrop."

Her Shinx crawled onto the counter. I could hear his small stomach growling. "You must be hungry little guy. Be right back," I ran into the kitchen and got behind the stove. It felt so good to be in my cooking apron again. About ten minutes later I whipped up a tray of food for the little guy, placing it in front of him and watching as he ate. His face lit up from the taste.

"Looks like you still got it, dad," Molly said.

"Yeah…I never lost it," I looked at Millie. "Is everything alright, Mil'?"

She sighed and nodded.

"Mil', you know I care about you, so I'm concerned when you're mad at me," I rubbed her nose. "By the way…Typhlosion was supposed to be with you. Where is he?" As I said that, the light fixtures rattled, and I heard some mysterious sounds come from upstairs. I looked back at her. "No…no you didn't!"

All of us, including Codie, walked towards the back stairs and up to the second level. My office door was open, and I could see Typhlosion lying on the floor, groaning. I ran up to him, and instead of getting mad at anyone, I started laughing.

"Okay so let me get this straight," I helped him up. "Millie…took _you_ down?"

He exhaled, emitting small flames, and rubbed his head.

'So she wasn't mad at me,' She chuckled nervously while I tried calming Typhlosion down. 'She just wanted to be alone…but why?'

* * *

That evening when everything settled down, Bianca, although very disappointed she could not do anything to help her friend, went home with a smile on her face, and so did we. Typhlosion went to go rest out on the terrace while Millie went to my room, not staring at me once since we left the restaurant. As for Codie, she came with us and I gave her Shinx a place to rest. She was sitting on the sofa, rubbing his back.

"Tea?" I asked.

"Thank you," She took the cup. "And thanks for the hospitality."

"Well, I figured since you left your tourist group," She choked up. "You'd need somewhere to crash for the night."

I looked at her Shinx. "How did you two meet? I'm curious."

"Well," She put her tea down. "A few months ago when I left on my journey, I found this little guy wandering in the forest. I was about to catch him when I looked at the expression on his face. He looked so sad and lonely, and he got away at first, but I spent the afternoon looking for him again. I finally got him to understand that I was only trying to help him, and we've been together since."

"It sounds to me like he was abandoned," I said. "It usually happens when a trainer is fed up with his or her pokémon and just releases them in the wild. What they don't realize though, is the amount of emotional distress they're causing, and that the environment might not be the best habitat for them to survive in."

"That's awful," She said. "But…how do you know so much?"

"Back in the day, I used to be a trainer," I said. "My Mismagius, then a Misdreavus, was abandoned by her trainer, and she put me through a wave of hallucinations before eventually figuring out that I wasn't giving up on her," I pointed towards Mismagius, who was sleeping in a corner of the room.

"Does she always sleep with her eyes open?" Codie asked.

"Usually when she's thinking, but it's something to get used to."

Molly showed her to the guest room, and we all went to sleep. That night, I was trying to think of what could be on Millie's mind to cause her to act like this. Hitting me, attacking Typhlosion, and when Molly told me, the last few days of crying. Something big was on her mind, and somehow it involved me, and since she meant a lot to me I couldn't just sit by and watch this happen. The sword gave me the ability to interact with pokémon, so I could've just asked her.

'_Calvin. A quick word, please?'_

I sat up. "Arceus? Was that you?"

'_Yes. Could you join me for a moment?'_

I jumped back in shock, as a portal opened next to me. I sighed and walked through, and re-appeared in her den. She was in her human form, dressed in a night gown, and a robe. Her face turned red as I burst into laughter.

"What?"

"Um, okay, there's no bed," I looked around. "Yet you're dressed for sleeping."

"I have a life among your kind, Calvin," My eyes widened. "I'm a…archaeologist in Oreburgh City."

"That sounds interesting…I mean, since you're all about the ancient culture," She nodded. "Anyway, what did you call me here for?"

"Nothing really…I just wanted to talk."

There was a pause.

"You called me out of the comfort of my bed, for _nothing_?" I asked.

"Yes."

I sighed. The worst part was that she admitted it. "Can I go home now?"

"Oh, come on, Calvin, we're friends, right?" Hmm…I guess you could say that. "Friends talk about nothing in particular…right?"

I quickly remembered something. "Now that you mention it…I have something to tell you. Yesterday Latias was visited by that pokémon I told you about."

"Is she alright?"

"Well yes, but…she doesn't remember Latios. All her memories of her and Latios growing up, all the way up to the point of the DMA incident and his sacrifice…gone, just like that."

"Calvin, that's not possible."

"That's what I said," I continued. "Arceus, I don't know how much energy Morgan packed into this pokémon, but wherever he goes…towns are destroyed, forests are engulfed in horrendous fires, and people disappear, leaving no traces behind."

"So I've been told," She rubbed her head. "Well, that's obviously something to talk about."

The mountain started to rumble. We looked up, as bits of rock fell from the ceiling. I looked back at Arceus. "Earthquake?"

"Never," She said. "Explosion, maybe?"

I told her to stay here while she opened a portal to the Spear Pillar. Once outside, the freezing mountain temperatures and low oxygen levels kicked in, and I wrapped my arms around my chest while trying to slow my breathing down as much as possible. There was no one here.

"Arceus, I don't see anything," I yelled through the portal. I turned around again and was staring into two sets of blue eyes. "What the—"

"Hello, Calvin."

I was propelled back though the portal and landed back in Arceus's den. I tried to get up, but I was thrown again and hit the wall with great force. My vision clouded and I fell unconscious.

* * *

Arceus watched in horror as Calvin was thrown across the room and into the wall. He slid to the floor and immediately fell unconscious. "Calvin…" She turned back to the two who had entered through the portal. "So…you must be Morgan."

"Am I that predictable?" His pokémon returned to his side.

"I read you like a book," She said. "And Calvin has already told me all about you and what you did to his daughter."

"Yes, I know," She clenched her fists. "Just out of curiosity, how exactly has he come to know you?"

"I refuse to disclose that information to you."

He shrugged. "Oh well…better continue what I had planned. Why don't you have a little fun with her?"

The pokémon nodded, and darted towards Arceus in an attempt to attack her. Electricity surged through his hands and he struck her, but never made contact. She caught his hand in her own; the electricity fizzing and slowly diminishing, and dust blew up from the residual force.

"Did you honestly think that you could hit me with such a futile attack?" She asked. "As I stated before, Morgan, I read you like a book."

He smirked. "Impressive."

Her hand was engulfed in a purple light, and she jabbed the pokémon in its chest and sent it flying back to Morgan. He in turn, caught him, but he was unconscious. Morgan gritted his teeth.

"How dare you come into my home and attack us?" She changed her form. "I hope you had no intention of trying to capture me."

Morgan thought of something. "You know, that's actually a great idea!"

He pulled one of his inescapable pokéballs out of his pocket and threw it at Arceus.

* * *

"Arceus!" She looked back at me, as I struggled to get up. "Get out of the way! That's the one I told you about!"

She turned back and the ball hit her on the forehead and immediately consumed her. It dropped to the ground and rattled around violently, but captured her.

"NO!"

Morgan broke into a laugh. "Life is full of rewards. Don't you think so, Calvin?" I was clinging to the cavern wall, after finally working my way up onto my feet. "I guess not."

Morgan didn't notice this, but the pokéball started to glow. His pokémon, finally regaining consciousness, looked at me with death in his eyes. Morgan nodded, and he darted towards me in a similar fashion as before. He struck me in the stomach, electricity surging through my body, picked me up, and threw me into the ground. I meant to yell, but the pain was too overwhelming to. I coughed up some blood as Morgan knelt down beside me.

"It hurts, doesn't it?" He asked. "It's only fair that I repay you for ruining countless plans of mine."

"Th…that's all?" The pokéball shone a bit brighter. "So…you kidnap and experiment on my daughter…and friend, you send people after us to try it again, you nearly killed my daughter and took…me and two legendaries as prisoners…and I'm at fault?"

I chuckled. Morgan got up.

"I also find it funny that you think you still have a chance against me," He said. "There's no one here to help you, and that sword of yours is out of the picture."

"I'm flattered," I said. "Is that all you think I can do?"

Morgan shrugged. "I'll leave you here to think about it."

Morgan walked back to the still open portal.

"Did you know?" I shouted. "Your son moved to our city."

His footsteps stopped again. "What?"

"You know…Matthew Morgan," Morgan spun around. "And your wife, Caitlin."

"How do you know about that?" He snarled.

"Well," I coughed. "We're practically neighbors now. Your wife opened a shop in the city, and your son…well, he enrolled at Molly's school," I could hear his footsteps returning. "It's a shame though. They think…you're dead."

"And you wouldn't dare tell them otherwise."

"Oh really?" I asked. "Why not? Are…are you ashamed? Afraid of what they will think of you when they find out that you weren't dead and that…that you've been doing this…all along?"

Morgan clenched his fists.

"You see, I don't need…the sword to hurt you, Morgan," I continued. "You already set yourself up for failure…and I think it's high time your family knew the truth."

"Kill…him," Morgan growled.

Claws dug into my leg and I was dragged across the ground and thrown across the den. Upon landing, I rolled up to the wall. I tried to get up, but I was in so much pain that it was impossible to. The pokémon picked me up by the neck, cutting off my air.

'You don't ever threaten Dr. Morgan,' He said. I started laughing. 'What's so funny?'

"How…how helpless you are," The grip on my neck tightened. "You still think…Morgan gives a damn about you…"

My luck was running out. But what the two didn't realize was that I was just buying time until Arceus made her big move. The pokémon read my thoughts, quickly alerting Morgan, but it was too late. With a flash of light the pokéball exploded, and Arceus returned to the cavern, very pissed and about one step from crushing him.

'Let him go,' She demanded.

Morgan's pokémon dropped me, and I fell to my knees, eventually falling face-down. Morgan, probably with mixed thoughts rolling through his head, looked back at her and yelled an order. Within seconds, dozens of men armed with what appeared to be rifles came through the portal, and aimed at her. I struggled to stay conscious, but I blacked out, only to wake up again in my bed, with sunlight shining through my window.

'A dream?' I thought. 'It sure felt real.'

"That's because it was," Someone gripped my shoulder, which brought me to tears from all the pain that followed. I looked to my left Arceus was sitting in a chair by my bed, looking concerned in a way I never saw before. I looked at myself. My chest was wrapped in bandages, and there was a first aid kit by my leg.

"Calvin, you nearly got yourself killed."

"I _always_ nearly get myself killed," She sighed.

"I feared this time would've done it," She got up, and walked to the mirror. "I should've reacted sooner."

I could sense that she felt horrible. I sat up, and looked at her.

"I didn't mean that, it's just…" I sighed. "How did you escape that pokéball in the first place?"

"Like any other pokéball, it has flaws," She said. "There were quite a number of them in that one. It seems that Morgan had been saving that for a rainy day, but failed to work out said flaws. Once I saw that opening, I escaped, and came to stop him."

"What happened next?" I blacked out before I could see what happened to her.

"It looked like he was bent on re-capturing me, but I escaped before that could happen," She sat back down. "I rushed you back here, and we took care of you."

"_We_?"

Molly came in. "Arceus, how's he—dad!" She ran to hug me. Wow, serious déjà vu.

"Ow, ow! Okay Molly, I get it!" She let go. "Wait, if you left to help me, than that means—"

"My den, and the Hall of Origin's locations have been compromised," She said. "Morgan is expecting us to return, and although I escaped the confines of his pokéball, the delay time can be devastating if we were to fight our way back in."

"So we have to lay low for a while," I got up, and slipped into my shoes.

"Where are you going?"

"It's okay, I'm sore, but nothing's broken," I said. "And I think I know the perfect place to set up a temporary meeting."

* * *

"You want to use the Samiya as a meeting place?" Manaphy asked.

Latias and I returned to the great underwater temple. The last time we were here I stumbled upon a hall, and since the Samiya's location could never be pinpointed, Morgan would never find us.

"Manaphy, I don't mean to force this on you, it's just…well…the Hall of Origin isn't a safe place for meetings at the moment."

"It's no problem, really," She said. "I had wondered why you never asked before."

"Huh? But I didn't—" I looked at Latias, who immediately turned away. "Okay, my head is not a song. You can't just listen to it whenever you want."

The two girls broke into laughter.

A couple of days later, Arceus and I called the meeting from our new location. Molly joined us at the head of the table, as we discussed the events that had gone on over the course of this week.

"Nice place," Giratina added.

I smiled at him and continued talking. "This will be our new meeting place until further notice. The Hall of Origin's location has been compromised, so until that changes, consider the Samiya your home away from home."

There was some indistinct chattering. I looked around at everyone, and noticed that Lugia was missing again.

"Hey, did Lugia mention that he wasn't going to be here today?" I whispered to Arceus. "For this _very important_ meeting?"

"I'm sure he's taking care of his daughter," She whispered back. "Wouldn't you?"

I looked at Molly. I bet he was trying to take the easy way out by watching over Cornelia all the time. But now that I think about it, my advice was a bit misguided. That would eventually lead to him being overprotective of her. "Yeah, I guess so," I wondered what he could've been doing with her that drew all of his attention away?

* * *

The waves crashed against the shores of a tiny island off the coast of Johto. There, lay the injured legendary, watching in horror as his daughter was restrained and locked in a container. The human responsible stood by him with an Infernape and a Toxicroak at his sides, and laughed, knowing that he could not stop him.

"My boss sends his regards," He said. "But I can't guarantee anything about her."

He and his two pokémon boarded a nearby helicopter, as they reeled his daughter's container in and took to the sky. He tried to fly after them, but eventually fell to the ground again, deprived of strength. He could only watch as the helicopter flew off into the distance; a storm was approaching that would eventually swallow up the island.

"NO!" He roared. "CORNELIA!"


	6. Morgan's War

Two weeks had passed. Arceus made herself comfortable staying at the Samiya while Molly and I returned to Alto Mare. The following evening, I went down to the docks to get some fresh air and was met by one of the most beautiful sunsets I had ever seen. I crossed my arms and looked at it, while quickly remembering this exact spot as the place where Latias accepted memorial boats in commemoration of Latios.

'Things aren't getting easier, Latios,' I thought. 'Morgan's attacking us from left and right, and I'm stuck between a rock and a hard place when it comes to decision-making.'

Thanks to Molly's prior knowledge of Morgan and my constant run-ins with him and his mysterious pokémon, Arceus gave me the lead on this issue. But I was quickly realizing that it was becoming harder for me to take him down while he kept constantly attacking what I cared about most, from behind my back. I rubbed my eyes, and continued to stare at the sunset.

"Dammit, Latios," I mumbled. "Help me out here."

I heard someone gasp from behind me, and I turned around and looked at Latias. For some reason, she chose to stay in her normal form, but I looked past this.

"Latias, what's wrong?"

'I…I don't know,' She said. 'I was going to try and surprise you, you looked so stressed out. But as I got closer, these images started to flash into my head.'

"Let me guess," I said. "You were accepting small boats and you were placing them in the water?"

'Yeah…how do you know that?'

'My theory is checking out,' I thought. "It's called a vision burst. They are memories of things you don't remember doing, that you did do, that you lost."

Her eyes glazed over.

"Déjà vu."

'Oh, I see,' She said. 'Is…is this what Molly and Bianca were talking to me about?'

I nodded. "Latias, you had an older brother. His name was Latios. Right here, I'm guessing," I pointed out to the water. "A tsunami was approaching, and was getting ready to destroy Alto Mare, and he gave his life to stop it. A ceremony was held by you here, in his honor."

She sighed. 'I feel bad for not knowing more about him…'

"It's not your fault," I said. "You will get back your memory, but it will take some time."

I looked at her and smiled. She smiled back.

I turned back to the sunset. Maybe this was Latios' sign—to calm down and enjoy something for once. "Have you ever seen a sunset so beautiful?"

'No. But it is beautiful…'

* * *

I walked back to the house after leaving Latias. She disappeared on her way to an unknown destination, but I did not pursue it. I opened the door and took my coat off. It still hurt to stretch my arms. I could hear someone crying from the living room.

"Molly? Is everything alright?" I asked.

I walked towards her and spotted a silver-haired woman sitting in the chair across from her. Her dress was of a matching color, with thin streaks of blue lines running down her back. "Annabel?" Annabel was Lugia's mate and Cornelia's mother. He mentioned her to me on an unrelated task a few years back, and I was hoping I would get a chance to meet her last year when Cornelia was born. "Is…is that you?"

"You must be Calvin," I sat down next to Molly. "Lugia told me to come to you for help if anything happened to him."

"_Something_ happened to him?"

"I-I don't know," She said. "Lugia and Cornelia left two weeks ago to teach her how to fly and fish, and said that they would be back before Friday…but it's been another week, and I haven't heard anything from them since."

That would explain his absence from the _very important_ meeting three days ago. He wouldn't miss something like that even if his life depended on it. I buried my face in my hands; yet another attack from Morgan.

"It's okay, Annabel, we will find them."

A scream came from the kitchen. I jumped up, walked into the kitchen, to find Codie against the wall, breathing heavily. "Codie? You're still here?"

"I've been in and out for the past few days," She said. "I just saw something run into the pantry!"

Rats? There was no possible way I could have any, but it didn't hurt to double-check. I walked towards the pantry and opened the door. Nothing out of the ordinary…

'I don't have any small pokémon,' I thought. "Codie, are you sure it wasn't your Shinx?"

"No, he's upstairs, sleeping."

"Then what could it—" A can of corn fell and hit me on the head. I looked up, and I could see a whole loaf of bread being eaten before my eyes. I climbed up to find the culprit, who was equally as angry as I was. "Shaymin?"

'You forgot about me again, didn't you?' He asked.

"Okay, I can explain—"

'No you can't!' He leapt from the shelf onto my face, causing to lose grip and fall to the floor. 'But do tell; I love to denounce lies.'

"Okay, listen," I got up and rubbed my head. "I thought you left with Cresselia and the others, so I didn't look into it much. You're so small; I can barely keep track of you!"

"Calvin, who are you talking to?" Codie asked, squeezing her way into the pantry and spotting the Shaymin on the ground. My heart dropped. "Oh my gosh! Is…is that a—"

She squealed and picked him up. He took to her fast, licking her face and sticking his tongue out at me. "Don't tell me that this was the culprit?"

"Actually yes, he was," I said, with the save. "Codie, could you run into town and look for a Graceidea? You must know that those are."

"Oh, I do!" She said, giving him back to me and running upstairs. I took a deep breath, dodging that bullet and being thankful that she didn't ask me how he got here.

"Oh, you're definitely coming with me this time."

I put my coat back on and placed him in my hood while Molly got prepared. After that, we took Annabel to a secluded part of town where only canals ran and houses didn't face. She walked down into the water and with a great flash, transformed into her Lugia form. She still looked considerably worried.

"Annabel, we'll need you to lead us to the last place that you saw Lugia and Cornelia," I said. "Even if you didn't see where they were going, the direction could help us out a lot."

She nodded, and ducked underwater. We followed her barely visible figure back across the city. She dove deeper underwater as gondolas passed to avoid detection by civilians, and gave us signs of where she was by sending small bubbles to the surface. Finally, out of plain sight, we came to the docks. By now the sun was completely gone, and that beautiful sunset that I saw a few hours ago went with it. Annabel resurfaced so that we could climb onto her back and we drifted away from the docks. She spread her wings and with one flap, the parted from the water as if it weren't even a factor.

"We'll start from our home first, of course," She said.

* * *

We landed on the rocky beach of one of the whirl islands. Annabel pointed to the northwest.

"I-I was standing right here when I waved them goodbye," She said. "They were flying off in that direction."

"Okay so if Lugia was teaching Cornelia how to fly," I theorized. "He would have been flying in a constant direction for a perfect lesson. So northwest is where they should have flown for some time. As for fishing…I did learn a few things when I was younger by watching how Staraptor caught his lunch. He usually dove down, and swooped up fish in his talons. If that were the case here, then it is possible that they were still heading northwest."

She took to the sky again, heading in that same direction. The night air was cool, and Molly quickly fell asleep as the hours passed. I looked down at the water. Undisturbed, there was a perfect reflection of us and the stars off of its mirror-like surface.

"You do flights like this all the time, don't you?"

"It isn't uncommon. It's how I met Lugia in the first place."

"What was it like, meeting him?" I asked curiously.

"We met five years ago," She said. "Honestly, he wasn't what I expected at first, but he turned out to be someone I could appreciate and love."

"I know what you mean," I looked at my ring.

"When Cornelia was born, she too, turned out to be just like him," She continued. "She certainly looks up to him, so it's no wonder why they went off together like this. I just hope nothing has happened to them…"

"_Nothing_ has happened to them," I said. "I promise. When we find them, they'll have a good explanation for their disappearance—they better have," I mumbled under my breath.

* * *

When the sun rose the next morning, we spotted an archipelago that looked ravaged by the constant rising and lowering of the tides. We landed on the seaweed-laced beach and slid off of Annabel's back. She looked around frantically, as if expecting to find them here.

"Is this the place?" Molly asked. I shrugged.

"It could be a start."

Annabel took to the sky again. We followed from the ground, eventually coming across the link in the chain of interconnected islands that looked as bad as this one. Island two held nothing but seaweed and invaluable items lost at sea, probably from passing cruise ships. Island three was a refuge for some Shellder; apparently the head of the group was a large Cloyster, and it chased us the remainder of the island until we lost it. Island four was quite large, and we had to split up in order to cover more ground. Of course, we only ended up going in a complete circle, and two hours later, we regrouped.

"Dad, how many more are there?" Molly groaned.

"I don't know, like…uh…" I looked out to the other six islands. "You don't want to know."

There was a loud roar from the other side of the island that sounded almost like my name. We ran in the direction until we came to a clearing, in which I stopped Molly from proceeding any further. Lugia lay there, unconscious and covered in sand and seaweed. He was injured to some extent and there were signs of a battle all around us. Annabel put her wings to her mouth and closed her eyes, while I ran up to him and put my head on his chest.

"He's still alive," I said to her. I walked up to his head. "Lugia…Lugia, can you hear me?"

His mouth opened, but only a slight groan ushered. Shaymin climbed out of my hood and up onto my head.

"I can help," He jumped off of my head and up onto Lugia's chest, and started humming softly. Shortly afterwards, his body was engulfed in green light, eventually shrouding Lugia in it, and slowly his injuries started to heal.

"What's going on?" I asked.

"Aromatherapy," Molly said. "It's a move that heals the user, and all friendly pokémon around it."

"Past experience?"

"A few times."

Lugia's eyes shot open. Shaymin jumped off of his chest and into my arms as he got up, and started looking around. "Annabel!"

"Lugia!" The two nuzzled their heads together. It was then that she noticed something was wrong. "Lugia…what's wrong? Where's Cornelia?"

I guess it was true what my father always told me. There was no such thing as a happy ending.

"They took her!" He exclaimed sorrowfully. Annabel wailed in agony.

"_Who_ took her, Lugia?" I asked.

"I tried my best to defend her," He said to her. "We were resting on this island when we were ambushed by a group of humans. They seemed harmless at first, but it wasn't me they were after. And by the time I found that out, Cornelia had been locked away and taken from me with a helicopter."

"Dad, do you have any ideas?" Molly asked.

A couple of people came to mind. They could've been poachers, but then Lugia's rage had to be taken into consideration. Then there was Morgan, who I thought about yesterday. In a barrage of random surprise attacks he would surely catch me off guard, but Annabel said that Lugia had gone missing more than a week ago. That conflicted with our run-in with Morgan in Arceus's den, which meant he had an alibi. But, there was someone else who did work for him while he was busy.

"The same person who took down Rayquaza last year," I thought back. "The same person who landed a surprise attack on us in Alto Mare. Morgan's top henchman."

I turned back to Lugia. "The guy that attacked you…he had an Infernape with him, didn't he?"

Lugia looked at me, awestruck. "You know him?"

"We've had run-ins with him in the past," I said. "That helicopter you saw…which way did it fly off to?"

"I don't know…I lost track of time and direction after the battle."

"Damn it," I walked up to the edge of the sea. Cornelia was out there somewhere, and as I looked back at the two, the pain was overwhelming. "We have to return to the Hall."


	7. The Global Masquerade

Lugia tried comforting his mate as she lay near the table in the Samiya's hall, crying. Latias took Molly back home to attend school, and I was left here with Arceus to try and sort out the matter.

"I don't get it," I said to her. "What would Morgan want with Cornelia?"

"Leverage?" I thought about it, but it still didn't make sense. "I am, just as you humans say, 'throwing around ideas'."

"It helps," Lugia rubbed his head and walked out of the hall. "I'll go talk to him."

I followed him to the waterfall. He picked up some water in his wings and splashed it over his face. Then he looked down to me. "Tell me that this is just a dream."

"I wish I could," He returned his stare to the water. "Lugia…we will find Cornelia. It will just take some time—"

"We could spend all the time in the world looking for her!" He lashed out. "They could be torturing her, for all we know!"

"First of all, we don't even know why they took her," I said. "I am pretty sure Morgan is trying to express his wide range of power by taking whatever he can with force."

"And my daughter was caught in the middle," His wings, shaped similarly like hands, seemed to turn into fists as his anger level rose. "I did nothing to protect her! How could I have been so careless?"

"LUGIA!"

He looked down at me, shocked by my sudden outburst.

"I understand your anger," I said, annoyed. "But blaming yourself isn't going to get you anywhere. If you want to find Cornelia, you're going to have to look for her."

"How?"

"Lugia, you're not talking to an idiot," I said. "I've been there. I know how it feels to lose a daughter."

His anger subsided, and he nodded.

"Good," I waved him back into the hall. "I can't say much as to where we should start, but it took me three years to search the globe for Molly. We don't have that kind of time."

"Maybe I can be of some assistance," Manaphy crawled up onto the table, unraveling a map that she brought from an unknown part of the temple. Well, it was ancient, so that must've meant that there was some sort of library here. "I took the liberty of pointing out your location when we found you."

Everyone gathered around as I looked at the map.

"Okay so this is the archipelago on which we found Lugia," I placed my hand on the location. It was relatively close to Sinnoh, at least in viewing terms. "Morgan's headquarters is in Eterna City, Sinnoh."

"Well then we must go!" He said. "She has to be there."

"Well first," I pointed back at the archipelago. "We need to go back to where we found you. Something doesn't feel right."

* * *

We landed on the island. Lugia looked around impatiently while I examined the area where the battle took place. Something _wasn't_ right. Where we found Lugia and where there was most visible damage didn't seem to check out.

"Calvin, this is pointless!"

"Be patient, Lugia, this is going to help." I said. "Now, did you attempt to fly after they took her?"

He thought back. "Yes, I did. But I couldn't get far…what does this have to do with anything?"

"Well for starters," I said. "It tells me which way the helicopter went, which looks to be…" The helicopter wasn't heading towards Sinnoh. "That's weird."

"And so this was pointless!" He took to the sky.

"Lugia, you can't just go into Galactic headquarters guns blazing—"

* * *

"—apparently he can."

Lugia walked into the building, in his human form, and approached the main desk. There had been a big argument, but the receptionist didn't know where Morgan was. He left and returned to me, and I suggested we go around back, where the loading docks were.

"This is the entrance to the lower levels, right?" He asked as we entered the building and looked at the doors. "Stairs or elevator?"

"Stairs. Elevator is bound to have some security."

He quickly ran down the stairs and to the lowest level. The lighting had been improved since the last time I was here, and now we could clearly see all the security enhancements that had been put into play. I grabbed Lugia's arm and pulled him out of the sight of a camera.

"Calvin, what are you doing?"

"I'm wondering whether you're going about this rationally," I lashed back. "Or are you prepared to destroy this building looking for Cornelia only to find out that she was never here?"

"What are you saying?"

"The helicopter wasn't flying towards Sinnoh, Lugia," I said. "It was flying in a totally different direction, and it could have altered our viewpoint."

"It could've adjusted course to come here."

"You don't know that."

I sighed. "Look, I know she's your baby girl, and you want to make this up to her, but if you want to find her, you've got to do this properly."

Some scientists unwarily passed by. That gave me an idea. "Follow my lead."

We walked out into the hallway and followed them out of the view of the cameras, as they entered a room around the corner. We slipped inside, and caught their attention.

"Sir, you can't be here."

"Oh, I'm sorry," I said. "Me and my friend just got lost in this place. We had an appointment with Dr. Morgan. He's expecting us today."

"He's not in," One scientist said. The two others didn't fall for that and looked at him with disgust. "And he doesn't have any appointments."

"Oh, that's a bummer," I continued. "Because he has something of ours that we need back really bad."

"And what would that be?"

"…A baby Lugia."

"A baby—" Lugia's eyes started to glow. "Sir, we don't do that type of business anymore—"

"Like hell you do!" I charged at them as Lugia transformed and whiplashed the two scientists into the wall as I got the last one, and restrained him to a desk.

"Talk."

"I swear, we don't know!" He fought against my restraints, but I pressed harder.

"Hey, your boss just kidnapped this Lugia's daughter," Lugia overshadowed me. "You got about twenty seconds before he devours you."

He looked up at Lugia, and then back to me. "I'm telling you the truth."

I sighed. "Lugia…" I stepped aside as Lugia threw the scientist back to a machine with his wing, and then pinned him down. Any person in my place would've called this cruel, but unfortunately I'm not one of those people.

"Okay, okay, don't eat me!" The weakest link always breaks last. "I…I don't know about the baby Lugia, honest…but Dr. Morgan did mention an expedition."

"Where?"

He told us exactly what I wanted to hear. Morgan's director, apparently the one in charge of Team Galactic, became interested in the Mysterious pokémon that was following him around. Morgan said it wasn't finished yet, and by 'finished', that meant that the armor was only temporary, hence the feeding tubes. Morgan's top henchman, who now went by the name of Bane, was sent on an errand to retrieve a newborn psychic that shouldn't exist in its line of species. Scientists had always thought that the Legendaries had no genders, but it was common sense that every living organism could reproduce, or they wouldn't exist. It didn't take rocket science to figure that out. This newborn, unfortunately Cornelia, was needed for her powers. Many matured psychic types' powers were unstable, but since a newborn was still developing, it would've been easy to harness.

"But I had no idea she was yours, honest. Half of the time, Dr. Morgan isn't very straightforward with his plans. He asked Bane to meet him somewhere, but I don't know where. It's somewhere in the ocean."

I cleared my throat. Lugia looked at me apologetically. He returned to his human form and waited for me at the door.

"When Dr. Morgan gets back in," I said. "Tell him 'they know'. He'll know what it means."

The scientist nodded vigorously as we left the room.

* * *

"Why are you always right?" Lugia grumbled.

"I was taught to think critically before assuming," I said. "It works miracles."

"You got a point," He sighed. "I'm sorry, but…what do they want with Cornelia's psychic powers?"

"He needed to harness them, I guess…" The pieces finally clicked together. Rayquaza's abduction, followed by Latias's and now Cornelia's. "Lugia, turn back," I said. "Back to the Samiya."

The temple had moved, but Lugia's knowledge of the sea currents came in very handy. He turned, and headed back to the Archipelago, and then from there we followed the northern current as it passed by Kanto. I held my breath as we swooped down into the water and found the temple. When we resurfaced inside, I ran down to the hall and joined Arceus, who was listening to Manaphy sing. I asked her to summon Rayquaza and Latias, and with Latias, Molly, and waited for their arrival.

"She has the sweetest voice," She said. "Look, there they are."

Lugia, Annabel, Rayquaza, Latias, Molly, and Arceus all gathered around me.

"Morgan doesn't want leverage," I said. "He wants power. Power for presumably, his mysterious pokémon."

"Why would that concern Cornelia?" Annabel asked.

"Not just her, Latias and Rayquaza," I went on. "Listen…Morgan wants to use their power to increase the strength of his pokémon, which I found out was in no shape to battle under serious conditions. That's why it wears the suit. It's underdeveloped."

"He actually…_created_ a pokemon?"

"Don't act surprised, this isn't the first time it was done," I said. "He's doing it in a similar way. By using the genetics of much more powerful pokémon, such as the sky dragon Rayquaza, the eon dragon Latias, and the king-of-the-birds Lugia, I would say that their strongest attributes are dragon, and psychic."

"But why did he need Cornelia?" Annabel asked again. Molly agreed.

"The scientist we questioned told us that they needed her because her powers were still developing, and were easier to harness," I said. "It fits. The two of them are two peas in a pod."

Annabel started to cry. This information was too much to hear.

"I'm sorry Annabel," I rubbed her head. "We are going to find her. And we may have a lead."

I returned to the map on the table. "Now, the helicopter that Bane, Morgan's top henchman, took, went towards the Southern Arctic Circle. If he was going to meet Morgan, it would've had to have been at some base here. However, that's a very long distance. He would've never made it there in one trip without refueling or risking his fuel lines freezing over."

"So what are you suggesting?"

"If he left Eterna with full tank of gas," I needed a ruler. Manaphy handed me one. "Thank you…okay if left Eterna with a full tank of gas, he would've made it to the island with half. Depending on the direction he was going afterwards and the number of miles he would have flown…they should be right here."

It was still about 1000 miles away from the Arctic Circle. "We need a better measurement. This has to be accurate." I never thought it would come to this. "I know someone who works at the Space Center in Mossdeep."

"Relevance?" Arceus asked.

"Huge satellite dishes…monitoring satellites in outer space…"

"And those satellites have cameras!" Molly said. "That's how we know the weather!"

"Yeah, he's the one who sent the images to the news of the global storm last year."

"We'll pay him a visit tomorrow."

I walked out of the hall. Now it was I who was feeling on the down side. In order to rescue the daughter of a close friend I now had to rely on the one person that I never thought I'd have to see again.

"Now's not a great time to be right," I mumbled.


	8. Eye In The Sky

**Sorry for the delay, family matters, but here is Chapter 8. I will try to see if I can get this back on schedule. It'll be interesting to know who Calvin's contact really is. Enjoy reading!**

* * *

"What is it, Bane?"

Morgan stared out of the front windows of the ship he was carefully navigating. His right hand man, Bane, joined. His expression looked urgent.

"We got a report from our Eterna office," He started. "There's been a break-in."

Morgan looked at him. "What?"

"Says there was a report of a Lugia, but no one's figured out how he got in."

"A smart breed, they are," Morgan said. "My research led me to the conclusion that they were shape shifters. Their human forms reflect on their physical traits."

"Ah," Bane smiled. "That explains the men who asked for you at the front desk."

"That can't be right. _Men_?"

"We got a picture," He gave it to him. "Winthrop is tagging along."

"What a surprise," He tore the picture apart. "They're looking for the infant."

"There _is_ something else. Scientist was given a message from Winthrop to you. 'They know'. No one knows what it means."

Morgan clenched his fists. "Unfortunately I do."

* * *

Cornelia woke up. There was not much to her new surroundings. Just her, an empty cold room that creaked and hissed, and a dead fish. Her stomach growled with the sight. She reached out to try and get it, but it was too far away, and her leg was chained to the wall. She pulled at the chain, but it was no use. Spirit broken, her head fell to the floor again. She started to remember what had happened that made her end up where she was. She watched helplessly as her father was beaten before eventually fighting for her own life. She covered her face with her wings and started to cry.

"Daddy…" She moaned. She looked at the fish again. Her expression changed. "This is for you, daddy."

She glared at the fish, concentrating on it as best she could. Its lifeless body then began to tremble, and slowly it slid across the floor and near enough for her to grab hold of. The fish, having been her only meal of the day, tasted exceptionally good. She felt so proud of herself, but with no one around to show, she felt determined to change that.

* * *

Lugia and I were nearing Mossdeep City the next morning. Suddenly he paused midair and spun around, almost throwing me into the water.

"Lugia!" I called. "What's the matter with you?"

"I don't know," He replied. "I just felt something."

"Like what?"

"It was a weird feeling, I don't know, really," He said. "Never mind."

We touched down on the shores near town and looked up. There it was—the Mossdeep Institute for Science and Aeronautics. Lugia reverted to his human form again. To think I gave up all of this to be a restaurant owner. We entered the building and approached the main desk.

"Let me do the talking this time," Lugia crossed his arms and followed quietly.

"Hello," I said. "I need to speak with Professor Clayton Winthrop."

"Okay, and what's your name?"

"Calvin Winthrop."

She looked up at me with surprise, and then nodded. "R-Right this way."

"It's interesting how you two share the same last name," Lugia said. I sighed. "Don't you think it's…oh…Calvin, why didn't you tell us that—"

"Because this isn't a family reunion," I snapped. "We just need for him to give us a better picture of what's going on at the Southern Arctic Circle."

The receptionist led us to the Operations Center. A mass of rocket scientists were watching computer screens stationed in front of them, mumbling orders and commands to, when we looked at the large screen, some workers repairing the thrusters of a rocket in outer space. The receptionist asked for our patience as the session came to a break. She informed an aging man at the large screen, who spun around to look at me. I waved back. He walked towards us quickly, opting to hug me, but I refused.

"Dad."

"Calvin."

It is obvious from this point that my dad and I don't get along. When I was younger and wanted to become a trainer, mom supported me, but dad wanted me to be like him—a scientist. He explained to us that there many opportunities in his field of work. The thing was, I didn't _want_ to be a scientist. I knew that I would've been miserable, not to say that he is, but it wasn't what I would feel happy doing for the rest of my life. Despite his persuasions I went on to become a trainer, and I was very happy with the decision I made, because fortuitously, I met Emelina. With that decision I saw a different side of him, and he cut me off, purposely missing our wedding and the restaurant's unveiling, so I just made it easier on myself and we've just stopped talking. For about eleven years it worked…up until today.

"What are you doing here? We're busy."

"Long story short…I need your help," I said. "Question. You got any satellites over the southern Arctic Circle?"

He led us out of the Operations Center and over to a separate elevator. It brought us three levels up into another center; this one dealt with the management of the satellites and various live feeds from numerous points on the surface of Earth. On one monitor I saw what looked like Vermilion City, but it was switched to grassland upon inquiry. I shook my head.

"You _could_ go home, you know."

"I told you, we're busy," He replied. "I don't have that kind of time."

"Well then make some. Aren't you in charge?"

He sighed again. "Why do you want to see the Southern Arctic Circle?"

"We're looking for a ship," I said. "Possibly with a helipad."

"Let's see," He sat down and typed some passwords into a computer. "What's the benefit of me helping you?"

"It depends on what you want."

He thought about it for a moment. "I would like for us to sit down, have a drink…have a conversation for once. We haven't talked in years."

"That's not my fault, dad," I chuckled. "But if you make the plans, we'll have it."

The computer beeped, and he was logged on. He scrolled over to a live feed from one of MISA's satellites, and clicked on it. Then he had the nerve to touch the screen, drag the image, and flick it onto the wide screen in front of us.

"Whoa," Lugia whispered. I nudged him in the chest.

"There," Dad got up, and led us to the wide screen. "Icebergs and water. Your 'ship' is nowhere to be found. You going to tell my _why_ you had me do this search?"

"Dad, you wouldn't understand."

"Try me."

I opened my mouth, and then realized that I hadn't thought up an excuse.

"Well?"

"You know what, dad?" I said. "Great idea. We _do_ need to sit down and talk."

The day rolled by. Guessing that the ship hadn't arrived at our projected location yet, we decided to stay a while until that moment. Once again, this isn't for me, it's for Lugia. He chose to sit in front of the screen and wait until the ship passed, while dad and I went for a little walk along the balcony out on the back of the building, where he started to show me the facilities where they constructed rockets and trained future astronauts. I was amazed, but all I managed to work out was "that this wasn't a program for the faint-hearted".

"How have you been all these years?"

"…please don't do this."

"Do what?" He asked.

"Dad, I didn't come here to 'catch up on old times'," I said. "You know exactly how I've been."

I crossed my arms and walked over to the railing.

"No, I haven't."

I turned back to him. "What?"

"The last time your mother and I spoke, but it wasn't about anything in particular," He said. "Not you, at least. I asked, but she said you were doing great."

"I know mom, and when she wants to have a conversation, she can go on for years," I said. "But it sounds to me like she's angry."

"What would you have me do?" He asked. "Leave my job here and go back home? I can't do that Calvin."

"I'm not asking you to leave your job. But would it kill you to take vacation time? Sick leave, leave of absence, something! You work two continents away and expect to keep up with her?"

"Watch it, Calvin."

I sighed. "I don't want to have this conversation anymore."

I walked away, leaving him standing at the railing.

* * *

Technicians were preparing Morgan's armored pokémon for treatment. They were detaching the feeding tubes from his arms and attached them to a large machine. There were vials of liquid in place at the top, labeled RAYQUAZA, SKY DRAGON and LATIAS, EON DRAGON. There was a third, but it was empty. Suddenly the vials emptied, and their fluids followed the feeding tubes back to the pokémon. It shivered for a moment, flexed, and flashed its eyes.

"Speed, stamina, agility and energy output levels are all increasing successfully, sir," I scientist called to Morgan. Morgan anticipated the good news but didn't react much, twirling a syringe between his fingers.

"You don't trust them, eh?" Bane asked.

"With a Lugia? Of course not," Morgan replied. "I'll show you why in a moment."

Their ship had docked with an iceberg. The occupants started unloading supplies. Morgan and Bane looked up at the sky, as a winter storm approached. It would blanket the entire area in a dozen feet of snow, so time was of the essence. Below deck, Cornelia's cell door was unlocked and pushed open, and scientists wheeled in a large cart. Cornelia was asleep, or so they thought…

"Move quickly! A storm's approaching!" Five men gathered at Cornelia's sides, and hoisted her onto the cart. She immediately came to life and threw the men off of her, flapped her wings and swept the two remaining men standing in the doorway off their feet.

"Sir, we have a problem!"

"Of course," Morgan mumbled over the radio.

Cornelia flew down the corridor, swooped around the corner, and ran into Morgan and his men. She stopped in midair and recognized Bane.

"YOU!" She snarled, clapping her wings together creating a powerful burst of air. It temporarily blinded Morgan and his men, and she used the time to attack Bane. She threw him against the wall and he eventually slid to the floor, gripping his chest in pain. She wanted to finish him off, but it wasn't right, and she had to find her father. She continued down the hall, quickly spotting her exit.

"Sir, the Lugia is getting away!" Morgan held the syringe by the tip of its needle and ran down the hallway. He threw it, and it sailed through the air and struck Cornelia on her left wing. Her muscles cramped up and she fell to the hallway floor and slid to a halt. Bane joined him, still gripping his chest.

"I rest my case."

Cornelia struggled to get away, but her muscles only numbed more with movement. Morgan and his men walked up to her and he kneeled down to have a look.

"You're a very intelligent child," He said. "I'll admit, you had me going there for a second," He turned back to Bane. "Unload everything to the base. Once finished, start the DNA extraction. We're on a busy schedule, my friend."

"You got it," He waved the crew with the cart over, and they began lifting Cornelia back up onto it. She looked at Morgan, and Morgan looked at her. Then they strapped her down and wheeled her up onto the deck. Cornelia tried struggling free, but this time it was useless.

"DADDY!" She wailed. "HELP ME!"

* * *

Lugia jumped out of his sleep. He had heard Cornelia crying out for him. He looked around frantically for her life force, but it had vanished. Frustrated, he nudged Calvin awake.

"What is it?"

"I just heard her!" He whispered. "She was screaming…Calvin, we have to leave now!"

"Oh good! A ship passed while we were asleep!" They both looked up at the widescreen. The water had been parted recently in a wedged shape, suggesting the hull of a ship. "I'll bet anything that that was Morgan's ship."

"If we follow that direction, we'll be sure to find it," Lugia ran towards the exit. Calvin followed, but realized that he had to thank his father for the use of the space center's satellites.

"Sorry we couldn't stay; we found what we were looking for," He wrote. "Please, GO HOME." He underlined it three times, stuck it to the computer screen, and rejoined Lugia.


	9. Operation: Cornelia

**I enjoyed writing this chapter the most. I hope you enjoy reading it.**

* * *

A group of Piplup, and their mother Empoleon, were trotting across a large glacier. It was a cloudy day in the Arctic Circle, much like it always was, and they were looking for a spot where the ice was thinnest; they were in search of some fish. Instead, the ice started to vibrate beneath them, and a few yards away, the head of a Lugia emerged. It spit a human out of its mouth, and they could hear it shouting from where they were.

Well, this human was unfortunately me.

"LUGIA, WHY DID YOU EAT ME?" I yelled. "I said 'let's go back home and borrow my neighbor's boat', INSTEAD YOU JUST HAD TO GET HERE IN A RUSH!"

"I don't have time to wait around on a boat trip!" He fired back. "This was fast, easy, and would've been a lot easier if you hadn't stabbed my tongue!"

"You were trying to swallow me," He groaned. "You're a carnivore, Lugia! Carnivores always try to swallow!"

Now I had to live with this memory for the rest of my life. I shivered off the sensation, and looked around. It had taken us about a week to get here, and probably would've been longer by boat, so that was a benefit. We were standing on a barren ice field with nothing around for miles. I checked the map again. "Lugia…we're not even close to where we're supposed to be!"

"Call your dad and ask him to track you with his satellites." I rolled up the map.

"I _would_, but _somebody_ swallowed my phone." I walked over to the Empoleon. How _do_ you ask a wild pokémon for directions? "Um…hello," She grew irritated. Apparently not this way. "Oh, this can't be good."

"Filthy human!" She started to attack me. I blocked with the sheath of the sword.

"Whoa whoa wait!" I jumped back. "What did I do?"

"All you humans are the same!" She continued attacking and I continued blocking. That's when I caught a glimpse of the scars on her arms and back. When I paused she gained the advantage, knocking me off my feet and I slid back a few feet across the ice. "Get up and fight!"

I got up. "No. I didn't come here to fight you."

He continued her rant until Lugia stepped in, forming a wall between us with his wing. Her anger slowly subsided, and I found it safe to speak again.

"We're looking for his daughter," Lugia nodded. "She was taken from him two weeks ago, and we think she's here."

"An infant?" We both nodded. "I've seen your kind with her…it's at least a day's walk from here."

This was great. Now we didn't have to look far and wide. In order to show her that my intentions were good, I asked Lugia for a favor. He nodded, and dove beneath the ice again. A couple of minutes later he re-emerged, with a mouthful of fish. The Piplup danced around in joy, and enjoyed their new meal.

"I did not know humans could understand us."

"We can't, yet, but this sword makes it so," I replied. "…may I ask how you got all of those scars?"

She turned away, as if bringing them up brought back haunting memories. "It is none of your concern."

I sighed. "Look, I'm not the one you should be mad with. We're here to try and rescue the baby Lugia from the ones that took her. I'm nothing like the humans that you must have encountered."

"I will believe that once you've actually _rescued_ her."

After the Empoleon's children had finished eating, they turned back, and we followed them across the ice. The hours rolled by, and the wind picked up. Fortunately before Lugia gobbled me up I got some snow gear from a Mossdeep store. They opened after the global storm and business was apparently booming. I pulled the goggles down over my eyes, buttoned up my coat, covered my mouth with my scarf and pulled the hood over my head. When we reached a mountain ridge I climbed up on top of a cliff and looked out. A storm was coming in, and if I didn't know any better, Morgan knew this too. "Lugia, I just got to tell you."

"What?"

"If it's not the sizzling summer weather, it's the bitter cold," I slid down and rejoined him. "But if it's for the ones I love, I'll go all lengths."

He smiled. "Where is this coming from?"

"It's a reworked version of my own motivational speech," I said. "Question…remember when we were approaching Mossdeep and you said you had a strange feeling?" He nodded. "What did it feel like?"

"I don't know…um…determination?" I smiled.

"That was Cornelia," I said. "Don't you get it? Your instincts act like a third eye, so to say. You feel what she feels."

"When why did I _hear_ her screaming?" He asked.

If she felt determined to try and change her situation, those putting that into play would've probably attracted attention from Morgan.

"Morgan is probably testing that determination."

I glanced at an overhang nearby, which looked capable enough to shield us all from the storm. We decided to stop there to rest for the night and wait it out. There was no vegetation in this place, which meant no wood to start a fire, so we slept in a group to keep warm. I crossed my arms, as the last few flurries swept over my goggles.

* * *

I shivered myself awake. At least a foot of snow was covering me. I fought my way up, and brushed the snow off of my goggles. If not for the overhang, we would've been covered in another twelve feet of snow. When everyone was awake and prepared, we continued our journey deeper into the mountains. The overcast today was insane, blocking out a majority of the sunlight. If not for my watch, I would've mistaken it for nightfall. We entered an ice-covered cave on our way, and I led with a flashlight.

"There is something that I must ask you." I jumped. The Empoleon was walking alongside me, and was brushing the snow off of her skin. "What's your name?"

"Well, you first."

"They refer to me as "Kisaki", or—"

"Empress?" She nodded. "My father is multilingual. He taught me a few things."

"Well that coincides with _my_ question to you," She was very intelligent at that. Where was she getting all of this from? "It feels as if I've seen you before."

"My name is Calvin," I replied. "I've never been to the Southern Arctic Circle before, are you sure?"

"No, it was somewhere else—a city, perhaps…never mind. Come, this way."

She pushed an unusually large pillar aside, revealing a human sized pathway. Lugia transformed, and we followed her down the narrow path into a huge cavern filled with other Piplup, Prinplup and Empoleon. The three Piplup that were with us jumped around in joy and rejoined their counterparts while Lugia and I were confronted by a group of Empoleon, some of whom had the same injuries as their leader. This must've been the group that tried to save Cornelia.

"Settle down everyone, they mean no harm," Kisaki vouched, and we tried by any means to prove her right.

The other Empoleon looked at us with annoyance, but didn't dare go over their superior. "All of you humans are alike; you, him, _and_ the blue-eyed one."

"Blue eyed one? That has to be Morgan!" I nodded. "And I am not human," He reverted to his true form.

"Thanks for the support," I mumbled. "You've had a run-in with this "blue-eyed one"?"

We all entered a separate cavern. It was smaller than outside, and was probably meant for gatherings and meetings. We all sat and started to discuss what had happened.

"She was there," An Empoleon said to Lugia. "Two days ago. The bars that restrained her, even the strongest of our attacks could not break. The blue-eyed one tried to capture us…"

He couldn't finish the sentence.

"There were casualties?" He shook his head.

"I-I do not believe so. He took them prisoner."

I stood up. "The blue-eyed one. His name is Ely Morgan. I only know him because of what he did to my daughter. He is my enemy too, and we intend to take him down after we've rescued Cornelia, his daughter."

Kisaki ordered one of the other Empoleon to lead us to the place where they fought for Cornelia. We left the cave, and continued up and around the mountain. Suddenly a spotlight waved through the sky, and we all ducked for cover. There was a camp down below. I crawled up to the edge of the mountain and pulled out a pair of binoculars.

"This is the place," I said to Lugia. "There is a golden "G" on that large tent in the center: Team Galactic."

"Morgan works for them?"

"I don't really know," I replied. "Sometimes it's like he works for himself, but apparently he does."

"That's where we were ambushed," The Empoleon said. I lowered my view to the damage on the surface of the glacier. "Where have they taken Cornelia?"

"That huge tent looks big enough for cages—duck!" The spotlight passed over us. We looked up again. "First off, we have to deal with that light. And about…one, two, three…eight guards. Morgan and his men ambushed you. Why don't we return the favor?"

"What do you have in mind?" I thought it over.

"Let's discuss it with Kisaki."

* * *

Lugia's stomach growled as we entered the cave. "Lugia, now's not the time to be hungry."

"It's not…hunger…" He fell to the ground with a crash, wrapping his wings around him. I ran to his side. "I feel sick…"

"Poison?" There was a low humming sound coming from somewhere.

"No, that's my cell phone!" I put my head on his stomach. "Hello?" It was only ringing. Hesitantly, I elbowed his stomach which answered it. Lugia groaned in pain. "Hello?"

"Dad?" That was Molly's voice. "Where are you? There's a ton of static in the background."

"Um…that's not static," I said. "Make it quick, we're in a hurry!"

"Well, I just wanted to know where you were," She said. "I haven't seen you in a while."

"I'm in the Arctic," I replied. "We found Cornelia, and we're going to bring her back soon. After school tomorrow, I need you to go with Latias to the Samiya and let Annabel and Arceus know that everything is going to be alright."

"Okay!" She said. "Wait, do you have everything on control?"

"Molly, that's a—hello?" I heard crackling sounds, and everything went quiet. Lugia seemed to be doing a lot better now. I started to feel nauseous. "Okay, that was disgusting…"

The situation looked very futile; eight guards and a spotlight. But if Morgan and Bane were in the large tent where was everything else? Something looked suspicious, and I didn't want to start anything that I couldn't stop. If Morgan's pokémon absorbed Rayquaza and Latias' power, then it was going to be a hell of a fight.

"You can hate me now, and even after this. I just need you to trust me," I said. "This time you won't be the ones being ambushed. They will."

"Here's the plan," I continued. "Ten of you, Lugia and I will go down to the site and we will ambush those guards and take out that spotlight. Morgan and his henchman Bane won't stand a chance."

Ten Empoleon volunteered. I gulped, and broke it to them.

"There's a little catch," I said. "The two have pokémon with them. A Toxicroak, an Infernape, and a…well, I don't know what Morgan's pokémon really _is_, but he packs a punch. And I fear that he may have gotten even stronger over the last few weeks."

"We're ready for anything."

"…okay then," I looked at Lugia. "We'll meet at the cliff at dusk."

Indistinct chatter was heard between them. Kisaki walked up to me.

"Honestly, I didn't expect you to gain their approval so fast," She said. "You're starting to remind me of that person again."

"Ah, I see," I said. "I must've reminded you of someone you previously met on the mainland. But why did you want to know my name? I thought you didn't trust me."

"I didn't," She said. "But…for a moment I thought you were the one I had met."

* * *

The night was cold and windy. The tents were whipped around violently, but stayed secure to the ice. The spotlight spun around in the sky, and was the only source of light anywhere, besides the moon. Suddenly the light flickered, and blew out. Guards from all around ran over to see what the problem was.

"Dammit!" A guard kicked at it. "This thing is worthless!"

"Not so much," Another pulled what looked like a shard of ice out of the broken glass. "Ice. Somebody sabotaged this."

They scurried into a weapons tent and armed themselves, and then returned to their posts. But without the spotlight, they wouldn't see far. Little did they know that they were being watched…

"Okay, let's go."

I pulled my goggles down over my eyes and wrapped my scarf around my mouth. We crept up to the site through the mist as guards anxiously spun their guns about. I snuck up behind one and got into position. I pulled the sword up just slightly, revealing its blade and reflecting the moonlight; that was the sign to Lugia. Then I quickly unsheathed the sword and wrapped it around the man's neck before he could get a chance to react.

"You make a sound, and I will kill you."

The Empoleon were fast, darting through the mist, even scaring me a little. Once they had passed I spun this guy around, elbowed him in the face and tripped him. He fell hard onto the ice and was out cold. I followed the train of footsteps into the base. There were muffled sounds of struggle all around, ceasing one after the other. Lugia swooped in from the mountains and reverted to his human form. I pulled down my scarf.

"You didn't even have to do anything." He shrugged

He and I both pulled back the flaps of the tent to find no one there. I uncovered my eyes. There were a few tables set up, some guns lay on them, along with some inoperable radar equipment and a radio, but neither Bane or Morgan were found, nor the prisoners he had taken, or Cornelia.

"Where are they?" Lugia asked, with frustration in his voice. "Is this the place?"

"No doubt," I walked around. "But none of it makes any—" I stepped on something hollow. I turned around and looked down at the ice. I took the sword and jabbed at the ground until I hit something metal. Lugia and I brushed away at it. It was a latch. "Hold on one second," I walked outside, and looked around. About a mile away, I could see an inlet, and the ship we were so desperately in search of.

"I don't believe this—help me," He and I worked our fingers under this latch until it flipped open, revealing a ladder. At the bottom, I could see light. I went first, and slid down the ladder until it ended in the middle of an entire hallway, carved out of the ice. I looked around frantically.

"DAMN!"

* * *

Lugia and I walked down this icy corridor. The other Empoleon were to stay behind to make sure the guards didn't raise the alarm, while Lugia and I rescued everyone. He hadn't spoken to me since.

"You're pissed, aren't you?"

"…I had my hopes up, no doubt," He said. "You don't know how much I thought we were going to see Cornelia just now."

"Well we're here," I said. "Come on, Lugia, now you must admit, we made some serious progress. Flying across the glove, looking for answers, and when we found a lead, we took it. This is the last stretch."

"True," He said. "And I have you to thank."

"Hey, thank me when we find her." He nodded.

I stopped him. Voices were approaching. Unfortunately there wasn't a spare broom closet around, so we had to think fast.

"How long will he have to continue wearing the bio-suit?" Morgan asked.

"A few more weeks, sir," A scientist replied. "He may have the combined strength of three legendaries, but his body isn't physically stable to exert such power yet."

"It is all well," Morgan said. "I can assure you. When he _does_ remove the suit, the time and place will be…perfect."

Morgan looked around. He could've sworn he was being followed, but it was just him and the scientist. He shrugged and continued down the hall. Lugia and I were already around the corner, and out of sight. I took a deep breath.

"Quick thinking with the psychic, Lugia," I said.

The base was relatively small, I guess, to accommodate the weight of the glacier above it. This wasn't the ideal destination for a base, but the subfreezing temperatures made good for preserving…blood samples. The cold played a key role in the preservation and the research, not so much for the ones punished for working in it. Down a slippery set f stairs to a now door-lined hallway, I could hear mourns and cries for help. Lugia and I peered around the corner. Two guards were standing in front of a doorway.

"Shut up already!" He kicked at the door.

"Wait," Lugia whispered. "There are no cameras?"

"I don't think so," I whispered back. "They'd freeze over in this environment, wouldn't they?"

"Well then," He waved his hand. Those two guards were picked up, and were thrown hard against the wall. Hey slid to the ground, unconscious. I walked out to the cell door.

"Oh…that works too," I unlocked the door and pushed it open. Six Empoleon were locked in this cell. "Don't be alarmed. We're here to rescue you."

They mumbled amongst themselves, something about trust.

"Kisaki sends her best wishes."

They all looked at me, and then agreed. They left the cell and decided to help us.

"The baby Lugia. Where is she?" I asked. "Where did they take her? Don't worry, I'll understand you."

"…down there," The There was a sharp bend in the hallway. We walked to the bend and looked around. The door was heavily guarded.

"I got it."

"No wait, look," I stopped Lugia from propelling them into the walls when their radios went crazy with orders, and they all ran in the opposite direction. "I was hoping to rescue Cornelia right out from under Morgan's nose nice and quietly, but he is a quick thinker," I turned to them. "We probably have about five minutes before he realizes he has guests."

* * *

Morgan climbed the ladder back into his tent. He proceeded quickly to the broken spotlight, and looked around. All of the guards were either unconscious or just barely recovering. A team of men joined him.

"It looks like another ambush, sir."

"They're here," He snarled. "Get back inside. Who did you leave to guard the infant's cell door?"

There was a long silent pause. Morgan turned around and looked at him with death in his eyes, and returned to the tent. The Empoleon had retreated to safety when they realized that they were outnumbered.

"Their time is limited," One said. "Will they make it?"

"They will," Kisaki replied. "I know they will."

* * *

I picked the lock with the edge of the sword. One twist and it broke, and I pushed the door open. Lugia's anger was resonating through his powers, but that diminished once he saw her.

"Cornelia!" Lugia held her in his arms. "Are you alright?"

She shook her head and started to cry.

"But…what have they done to you?" She looked very weak.

"Let me see," I checked her pulse. "I think they sedated her. Remember when I told you that Morgan was trying to test her determination?"

He nodded. His anger was starting to resonate through his powers again. Morgan yelled my name from in the hall.

"Time's up," I said. "I'll see what I can do."

I left the cell and walked out into the middle of the hallway. Guards were all around me, and raised their guns. Morgan started clapping.

"Bravo," He said. "You almost had me."

"Cut the crap, Morgan," I said. "You knew that I was going to get here sooner or later, so why bother going through the hassle?"

He chuckled. "I don't know how you found out about this base, or how you got in without detection, but I can assure you, this is the end of the line."

Okay, so if the sword protected me from such attacks like Hyper Beam and Punishment, how would it pair with the bullet of a gun? I unsheathed the sword as they aimed.

Suddenly Lugia walked out in the path just as they shot off their rounds. The bullets were reflected off of him and just as I had hoped, they didn't affect me either. He raised a hand, pulling away all of their guns and crushing them to pieces. Then he transformed, spread his wings and formed what looked like Aeroblast in his mouth.

"Wait," Shooting an attack like that would destabilize the ice. "Lugia, no no no NO!"

I ducked for cover and he launched his attack, cutting the ice all around us like paper and revealing the floor above. The attack was so powerful even, that it shredded through the ceiling, and I could see night sky when the dust cleared. Icy debris fell to the ground and Morgan's guards scattered for their lives. Lugia was now on a rampage that even I couldn't stop. I ran back into Cornelia's cell and undid her restraints as he fired another. She was too weak to move.

"Cornelia, look at me," I knelt down. "Look at me. Do you think you can change into your human form?"

She nodded, and tried to concentrate. Her body became smaller and smaller, until it formed the shape of a human. She had had practice with this, wearing a dress that resembled her skin and hair gray and smooth like her father's. I hoisted her onto my back and walked out into the hallway. Serious cracks and crevices had appeared in the walls. A few more Aeroblasts and the base would surely cave in.

"Where's…daddy?" She asked.

"Wow, um…" I scratched my head. "He's taking it out on the people responsible."

I rejoined the group of Empoleon, and together we made our way back to the ladder. One by one we went up, until we were outside and into the safety of the mountains. There, they rejoined their loved ones.

"Take care of Cornelia," I left her in their care.

"You're going back?"

"I have to," I said. "I can't abandon Lugia."

I ran back down the mountain and across the ice as Lugia fired another Aeroblast. The aftershock was very violent, and it was only a matter of time before the base gave way. I slid down the ladder, and came into the base as guards ran for their lives. Lugia's roars and shrieks were echoing from nearby.

'Where are they running to?' I followed them around the corner, down a set of stairs and across to a dock. This is where they must've dropped anchor. The larger ship was evacuating the base's occupants while the helicopter was nowhere to be found. It had flown out into the sky and the ship followed. I spotted a medium sized fishing vessel on the other side of the dock, which could come in handy.

'If Morgan escaped, then what the hell is Lugia attacking?' He must've wanted to bring the place down. I ran back into the base in search of him. "LUGIA!"

I spotted a fresh trail of a combination of cracked and melted ice left by him, and I followed it hoping to find him. Instead, I turned a corner and was caught dead in the middle of his attack. It approached me fast, but I simply crossed my arms and stood firm. Instead of being vaporized it brushed over me, thanks to the sword. Lugia finally realized who he had attacked and ceased his rage.

"Calvin, I—"

"No, I understand," I said. "Or it _was_ understandable, up until five minutes ago…WHEN MORGAN ESCAPED!"

He landed. "I'm sorry. But he hurt her, Calvin. I couldn't let him do it again."

"Yeah, I can see that," I looked all around me. "Trust me, at one time I wanted to kill the man too, but I tried, and failed—horribly."

"Is she alright?" He asked.

"Well, let's go see, shall we?" I replied. "Let's move fast, because this base won't hold much longer."

He nodded, and I climbed onto his back and we left the base through the dock.

* * *

_Two days later…_

Cornelia groaned and woke up. So did Lugia.

"Daddy…?"

"Cornelia!" She sat up, and he rubbed her head. "How are you feeling?"

"A lot better," She said. "I knew you would come for me!"

She hugged him.

"You have Calvin to thank for that," Lugia replied. "If it wasn't for him, I would've never known. And I felt your determination. You kept strong for me."

"Is…is it over?"

"Yes, it is," He picked her up. "Let's go see him."

* * *

"I did…okay."

"No," Kisaki replied. "You did _great_. Well performed."

"So does this improve relations between us?" I asked.

We sat amongst the large cavern watching at the rest of the tribe. Peace had returned since the prisoners were rescued, but I was dying to know if any of this improved our relations.

"A lot."

"Hey everyone," Lugia walked out, having reverted to his human form, holding Cornelia in his arms. He put her down and she came to hug me.

"Thank you so much, Uncle Calvin!"

"You're very welcome, sweetie, I'd do it anytime," I said. "Wait…'Uncle' Calvin?" I looked at her father. He nodded. "Wow…I'm honored, Lugia."

"Calvin, before you leave," Kisaki continued. "I want you to have this," She gave me a crystalline medallion. "That human that I mentioned before…he gave it to me the last time I saw him. I don't know why I've held on to it for all these years; I was so angry when we parted, but I want you to have it."

"Thank you," I said, getting up. "Who knows, maybe I might run into that human!"

The three of us waved goodbye and left the cave. It was a bright sunny afternoon, and the sun was setting on the horizon. Lugia and Cornelia opted to transform, but I stopped them.

"I will stab the hell out of your tongue!" I yelled. "No. We're not doing that again. I have a better, safer way."

We returned to the dock of the base, which had managed to hold up long enough and I started up the fishing vessel. It wasn't like we were in any rush to get home, so we sailed out and across the cold waters towards Alto Mare. I locked the steering wheel in place and walked to the front of the ship, and stared out at the seemingly endless bliss of clouds and ocean. Lugia and Cornelia joined me.

"I guess I can thank you now," He said.

I looked at him and smiled. "Anytime, bro'."

* * *

**There are a couple of side plots in this story, all relating in one way or another to the last two installments, and I partially explained one of them. The next few chapters will explain them in detail, whereas the main plot will not be explained until the end. So stay tuned and please review!**


	10. Eviction

It was a quiet, peaceful morning back in Alto Mare, much like it always was…but it was hot. I was sleeping in, under the ceiling fan with my shirt off to try and reduce as much heat as possible. Lugia and Annabel decided to stay at my house for a few weeks so that Cornelia could recuperate. I could remember someone annoying me earlier, but I was barely conscious and probably never responded. I do remember speaking to Emmy though…I think, but it was vague.

"_Calvin…let Cornelia swim in the water for a while, huh?"_

"Why do you bring this up?" I asked.

"_Well, she seemd a bit…distraught being locked up in the house every day, and it's been two weeks."_

"I know," I said. "But it's not my decision. She should ask her father first."

I rolled over. The nudging continued.

"_Oh come on, Calvin, she must be bored. Isn't there something you could do?"_

"Ignore and sleep?"

"_Calvin!"_ Something hard and heavy hit my back. I groaned and covered my head with my pillow.

"Alright, alright!" I cried. "She can go, just let me sleep!"

The chatter ceased. I rolled back over, and continued my slumber. Many hours passed, and I could feel the sun's rays burning my bare chest. Someone entered the room.

"Mil?" Millie chanted.

"Oh, come on, Millie," I whined. "The sun's up, the ceiling fan's going, and it's going to be a hot day today, so please just leave me alone…"

"Mil!" She growled. I could hear her moving around, but I didn't pay any attention to it. Suddenly, a cold jet of water washed over my body, and I jumped up and fell to the floor. I looked at her, and shivered.

"What do you want?" Honestly, I was yelling at the wrong person. Now she looked angrier than I was. I looked around for the sword and held it up, but mostly to protect me from another jet of water.

"Did you authorize Cornelia's swim this morning?"

"What? No!" I cried. "I-I…that was a dream!"

"No it wasn't! You gave her permission to take a swim!"

"I could've sworn I was talking to Emmy…"

She seemed taken aback by this comment. "That's impossible, Calvin."

"I know that now!" I threw on a shirt, put on my slippers and walked downstairs to the living room. Molly was laying under a rotary fan in an attempt to stay cool. The news was on, and it was reading out the forecast—94 degrees. And it was expected to get hotter by midday.

"Molly, don't you have a picture to draw?" I asked.

"Are you going out to buy an air conditioner?" She wheezed.

"Um…no."

"Then I'll pass."

I shook my head and stepped outside. A wave of heat brushed over me, and I was quickly covered in sweat. Millie didn't seem affected by this.

"Enjoy it while you can," She rolled her eyes. Man, déjà vu was becoming a disease.

* * *

Cornelia was resting on the surface of the water, with her wings spread out, and she was drifting along a deserted canal. Apart from the blazing hot summer day, the water felt very welcoming and relaxing. She took a deep breath, and stared past the cornices of the buildings around her and into the pleasant cloudless sky.

'Don't get a day like this very often,' She thought. 'Amazing.'

She spotted a boat heading her way, and she ducked beneath the surface and came back up when the coast was clear. A human was sitting on his motor boat with a net bag full of fish. She wanted the fish, but she couldn't risk getting that close to a human again. She had a different view of them ever since she got back. She narrowed her eyes and concentrated on the bag of fish. Suddenly, her eyes started to glow, and so did a fish in the bag. It slipped through the nettings and out of its owner's sight, and floated in the air in front of her. She jumped out of the water, caught it in her mouth, and then dove into the water again.

'This is great!' She said, happily munching to her meal. 'A nice, refreshing swim, and a great snack…this is the best day ever!'

* * *

"This is the worst day ever!"

Millie and I walked up the street. Everyone around me was dressed for the unbearable heat, but they seemed to be enjoying the weather more than I was. I guessed that with the fact that this city was half water, there were other easy ways of keeping cool. I, however, did not see these ways.

"Back when I was a kid, sometimes my friends and I ran up the street to the pokémon center just for the air conditioning," I said to Millie. "Or, we'd just go out to the beach. There were lots of things to do when you lived in a port city."

Just then I saw Danielle walking up the street towards us, reading a letter. You know, I remember reading that Gardevoir were such a peaceful species, but Danielle wrote a whole new book on the subject.

"Danielle, what's wrong?"

'Oh, it's nothing,' She said. 'Just…some legal issues…'

She burst into tears, and came running into my arms. 'I've been evicted from my apartment!'

"What?" Strangely, I thought Alto Mare was one of those places where one family was meant for every household. How they managed to stack an apartment building on water in the middle of the sea is beyond me. "I thought you moved out of that place years ago!"

'In truth, I did, but…I still have things I cannot part with, so I left them there. Oh, what do I do?'

"So you're asking me for help?" This implied something. Step one: implication. It was hidden under a truckload of emotion, but it was definitely an implication. "Let me guess. You want to move all of your stuff…into my house?"

'Well, now that you mention it,' Oh here we go. Step two: disguised emotion leads to a reversed implication which the one who implied uses to get a false proposition out of you. "Do you…have any space?"

"I have an attic," I was too far in now. "However with these temperatures, your things will be subject to heat damage. Plus it's bad for your health moving in such conditions."

She sighed. 'Well, it was nice of you to offer.'

"I didn't—" Step three: the imposing guilt. The one, who implied, when shot down, comes up with a tricky remark that makes you feel guilty, and the people around you view you as a mean person. And that's exactly what Millie did, except she was more physical than the average person.

"Okay, okay!" I yelled, after a barrage of whips from the end of her tail. "Danielle, wait!" Step four: you give in. Hopefully there are some holdouts somewhere around the globe and I admire them for their resilience, but unfortunately they've never had Millie with them. "Look, I still don't know if the attic's such a good idea, but…maybe I might have some space in my office?"

'That sounds great,' She said. 'Well first, I just have to show you to the place,' She took my hand in hers. I still had to look for Cornelia.

"Mil!" Millie smiled, waving me goodbye with her tail. I swear, she was no help at all, but at least she was in a better mood.

"Look for her for me, okay?" She nodded, and back flipped into a canal. "Showoff!"

* * *

'It's not much,' I looked around. Not much furniture, but they made great touches to the almost bare office where I did my work. She had souvenirs from home: gold medals from the Saffron High School track team, "outstanding performance" plaques from that job she had as a waitress, and some then high tech, now Stone Age gadgetry from Silph Corporation.

"Danielle, why do you keep all of this stuff?" I picked up an old Itemfinder. It later paved the way for that new thing—the Dowsing Machine. "You should've let me sell this stuff in a garage sale or something."

'No, I can't!' She said. 'They mean a lot to me. I just can't let other people have them.'

"Well you can't keep them forever."

She sat in a chair. 'I know, it's just…you ever had a cherished, beloved item that you couldn't get rid of? Something you'd need…just in case.'

"Yeah, maybe like 20 years ago," She frowned. "Seriously, Danielle, these things were cool—when I was a kid. And that's not a good thing."

I sighed, and sat down next to her. "I know it's tough, but sometimes you've got to part with these things. Because eventually…" I threw the Itemfinder back into the pile. "They become junk."

'I know, but you and I both know the story with Silph,' She said. 'Their competitors wiped them out. They don't make 'em like this anymore. I wish I didn't have to part with them, but I also don't want to stop seeing them. I wish they were on display somewhere, like a museum,' As soon as she said this, I spawned an idea. 'In an exhibit. That would be nice.'

I almost heard a record scratching. "Are you implying again?"

'Imply? Me?'

I frowned, and got up. "I'll go talk to Lorenzo…"

* * *

"Silph, you say?" I nodded. "Wow, I haven't heard from them in years."

Lorenzo, Bianca and I were all at the museum. He was setting up for the party he told me about and she was there for half the reason I was—air conditioning.

"I was helping Danielle with her belongings and it turns out that she has a box load of stuff they used to make," I said. "Some dating back as much as 20 years."

"Well, a museum is established to shed light on some of the finest artifacts, treasures, arts, and inventions, that mankind has ever crafted," He said. "You and I both saw Silph Corporation come and go, so it does help to know how they paved the way for…what was that thing called again, Bianca? With the…?"

"It's called a Dowsing Machine, grandpa," Bianca retorted. Now I felt old.

Lorenzo cleared his throat. "Still, I'd be honored to place such items on display."

"Oh, this is great," Great, as in "these weren't ending up in my office".

* * *

Codie sat peacefully on the edge of a boardwalk on one of the back canals of the city. She threw a snack to Shinx which he caught in his mouth and enjoyed. She took out her journal.

"_Monday, August 30th, 2010,"_ She wrote. _"Shinx and I found a peaceful canal, and we sat down to enjoy it to ourselves."_

Laundry was hanging from clothes lines above her, swooping across to other houses and back. She took off her shoes dipped her feet into the water, which was cold at first, but relaxing compared to the heat.

"_It's a hot day,"_ She continued. _"Must be at least 95 degrees, but it isn't all bad being close to the water. Of course, Shinx may think otherwise."_

She felt something brush up against the bottom of her feet. She quickly jumped up, and looked around.

"_Whoa!"_ She continued writing. _"I just felt something. I may have forgotten to ask Mr. Winthrop if these waters were Sharpedo infested…"_

She knelt down to get a better look at the water. Nothing was visible for a while, even though she could see all the way to the bottom. Then she saw something, wiggling its way through the wooden supports of the boardwalk. It swirled around a few times, and then grew bigger and bigger, as if it were surfacing. Codie backed up. Her mind was still wrapped around a hungry Sharpedo. When she blinked she was staring into the beady eyes of a silver pokémon other than a Sharpedo. She screamed and jumped back anyway, and the pokémon reacted in the exact same manner.

"Wait," She looked up. "You're not menacing…you're…a Lugia?"

Codie looked down at her. She backed up and out of reach.

"You're scared of me," She sighed. "How to convince her, how to—I know!" She picked Shinx up and set him by the water. "Could you talk to her for me?"

He whined for a while, but she finally got him to agree. He started. She slowly responded. They ended up in a chat. Codie sat and waited patiently, continually jotting down notes about the two. First a Shaymin, and now a Lugia. She was beginning to think that the city was quickly becoming the hotspot for legendary pokémon sightings.

Finally Shinx tugged at her shirt. She returned to the edge of the boardwalk. "L-Lugia…?"

'For starters,' A soft voice echoed. 'My name's Cornelia.'

"Wait…you can talk?" She nodded. "Wow, this is so amazing. Look, I-I'm not trying to hurt you. I just thought it would be neat to meet you. I hope you see no harm in that."

'Very. I don't trust humans all that much anymore.'

Shinx nodded.

"Well, I want to gain that trust," She held out her hand. Cornelia looked at it. "I'll even keep this between the two of us. I promise."

Cornelia continued to look at Codie's hand, and then slowly swam over into her reach. Codie rubbed her forehead. She had never seen a Lugia so young before. They were always depicted as large and powerful.

Almost instantly her vision was clouded again, and was replaced with horrific images of Cornelia, being tortured by a group of men, restraining her, and locking her in a small cell. Codie saw how miserable she was, and soon she too, started to cry. She wanted the vision to end so she pulled her hand back. Cornelia looked at her, wide eyed.

'How did you do that?'

"Do what? I-I don't know!" Codie wiped the tears from her eyes. "I'm sorry, it's just been happening so much, I…"

Cornelia jumped out of the water and up onto the boardwalk.

Codie whimpered. "You're mad at me, aren't you?"

'…No,' She sighed. 'I saw your memories too.'

"Memories?" She nodded. "But…how? I don't understand. I—"

'It's okay, I understand,' Cornelia helped her up. Shinx nestled himself on her shoulder. 'You've been through this before, haven't you?'

Codie didn't like talking about her childhood, but she nodded.

'We're two peas in a pod, then!' Cornelia smiled. 'You're a really nice person, Codie.'

"You know my name too?"

'Sure! That's not the only thing I saw,' Cornelia replied. 'So…you _will_ keep this between us?'

"Sure."

'Thanks. Because…my dad would freak out if he found out I left,' She said.

"Y-Your dad?" She nodded, and waved me goodbye and jumped back into the water. "Bye, Cornelia!"

* * *

Cornelia swam underneath the surface of the canal, happy that she had met someone who was just like her. But she also felt something else. Something she couldn't explain, like…energy, of some sort. But she had to get back home before suspicions arose.

"There you are!" Cornelia bumped into Millie. She jumped back in shock.

"Aunt Millie! I-I'm sorry, I just wanted a swim!"

"How could you manipulate Calvin's subconscious for your getaway ticket?" She yelled. "Your father will hear about this…wait…what did you just call me?"

"Aunt…Millie?" She asked nervously.

"Why do you consider me your aunt?" Millie asked.

"Well, you, Uncle Calvin, and Molly were all with me after I was born," She said. "And my dad thought it was alright if I call you that."

'Why did you have to go there,' Millie had mixed feelings now. "Okay…that was sweet of you."

"So you won't tell him?"

"…No," She sighed. "You know your father cares about your well-being. He can't bear to see anything happen to you again. Please don't run off without asking him first, alright sweetie?"

"Okay! Thank you!" She swam ahead of her. "Wow, you would not believe the day I had!"

"Tell me about it."

"Well, I got a fish from a fisherman's boat," She said. "Then I spent the rest of the afternoon swimming underwater until I met Codie. I was a bit unsure at first, but she was really nice after we got to know each other. Then when she touched my forehead, I saw her past, and she saw mine. I don't know how she did it, but she was just like me. Strange, huh?"

Millie stopped. That was the second time that that happened. Codie probably didn't understand it, but she definitely saw her past, which couldn't be good for her, because if she recognized Calvin she would speak to him about it, and everything would be ruined. That couldn't happen at any costs.

"Aunt Millie?" Cornelia called. "Are you okay?"

"I'm fine, dear," She replied. "Let's just…keep going."


	11. Just Business

A young woman walked into the marketplace on the first of the month. She looked around, and stepped into an old sandwich shop. The clerk greeted her.

"Hi, how may I help you?"

She turned to him. "I'm looking for Ramie."

"Oh…you're one of them."

He led her behind the counter and into the kitchen. There was a secluded staircase that led down into a sunken room. Three other people were in this room watching TV, including the one she was supposed to meet.

"Is he here yet?"

"No," He pointed to the TV screen.

"Food critic Adrian Stroud," The anchorman boasted. "Is here with us today. He's given us some insight on his new venture—Alto Mare. He's expected to arrive in the city today, and says he has his eyes fixed on a few restaurants in particular. He's well known for his critique. If it's good, these places boom, but if they're not…" He presented thumbs down. "You better pack your things. So…Mr. Stroud, what do you have your eyes set on in such a beautiful city?"

"Well the city is beautiful," He started. "But the businesses better live up to its reputation. Well, Phil, now that you do mention it, I do have one restaurant in particular—Il Posto Per Godere. Not a bad name, but let's see how their food compares. I should warn. They better start packing before I get there if they don't want to be disappointed."

Ramie turned the TV off. "That's our one-way ticket. I think a little sabotage is in order,"

She pulled a pokéball out of her pocket. "Are you sure about this, Ramie?"

"As sure as I'll ever be," He replied. "They won't know what hit 'em."

* * *

"In this corner, Molly," I said. Molly was helping Danielle move her stuff into my office. I donated the Silph stuff to the museum the other day, and the only way to move the heavy furniture in the blistering heat was to use a super-powerful pokémon like…a Tyranitar. Hey, what a coincidence! "No…maybe in this—" She started to growl. "Molly, you know good and well that this heat doesn't affect you, and that I'm not an interior designer."

'Move over, Calvin,' Danielle sat in my chair and scoped the room. "This corner is fine, Molly."

She exhaled sharply, and picked up another chair.

'Calvin, did you hear?' She asked. 'A food critic's coming to town.'

"No, I didn't HEAR!" Molly dropped the chair in a corner and picked up a sofa. "WHAT?"

'What are you so worried about?' She asked. 'A food critic is great for business. We'll get more customers, and who knows. Maybe the city will make us a tourist attraction!'

"You're looking at the big picture—right there is fine, Molly," She placed the sofa on the left hand side of the desk. "A food critic can also end us."

'So can a health inspector, but we've passed every time since we started,' She said. 'Calvin, we've nothing to worry about. We never have. Now if we continue doing what we do, just as you say, we should be fine.'

"You told the other employees, didn't you?"

'Well no, _I_ didn't—'

* * *

'But…_you_ just did.'

Waves of indistinct chatter erupted across the kitchen. There were worried voices, some about future jobs and resumes.

"People…PEOPLE!"

No one was listening. Molly growled and everyone noticed her presence—including us. The room went silent.

"You're in a bad mood today," She narrowed her eyes. "Anyway, there is nothing to worry about."

"Sir, you know as well as we do that a food critic can end us," Gregory said. "You can't just keep a clear head like nothing will happen."

"Yes I can. And so can you," I said. "Remember how we won the award last year? Well pretend it's just like this. Do your part. Work as if this was a normal day, alright? Keep a clear head. I need all of you at 110 percent if we're going to get a good review from this critic, alright?"

They all nodded. I turned around and walked out to the front counter. Danielle went with Molly back upstairs to continue moving furniture. As soon as they were out of sight, Matthew came in. He wasn't restricted from coming here; I wasn't that kind of person. But Molly seemed so heartbroken when she found out that his last name was Morgan. I mean, I was surprised too, but that was nothing to hold over him.

"Mr. Winthrop, could you tell me why Molly's been avoiding me all these months?" He asked. "Speaking of which, is she here?"

"Yeah, she just went upstairs," He sat on a stool. "Listen, Matthew. This isn't your fault; she just has a lot on her mind."

"Did I have something to do with it?" He asked. "If it's anything, I want to make it right."

"Look Matthew," I sat on a stool myself. "It's a girl thing. There's not much I can shed light on, but she will talk to you when she feels ready. Trust me, she hasn't changed."

He sighed. "Okay. Did…did you hear about the food critic?"

"I did."

"Is there any way I could help?" He asked. "I mean it was Molly's idea for my mother to turn her dream into a business, so it's the least I could do."

"This 'offer' of your help sounds like a pre-written job application."

"That'd be great too!" Implication was becoming contagious as well.

"Fine," I walked into the closet and came out with a uniform just his size. "I'll be nice because…you're a friend of the family. You wear this every day. We start at 7:30, open our doors at 8:00. You know how to formally address customers?"

"Um, lemme see…" He got up, and stood in a formal manner. "Welcome to Il Posto Per Godere. What can I do the honor of serving you on this fine day?"

"Hey! Scratch the "honor" and "fine" parts."

"I thought this was a high class restaurant."

"Heh…well I wouldn't call it "high class" just yet," I replied. "But customers are uptight in the mornings. I've already walked that path. Plus that's an instant suck-up for the food critic."

"Wait, I have to take the critic's order?" He shrieked. "You tricked me!"

"Hey, I'm not doing it!" I walked around the counter and placed my arm on his shoulder. "And in 5 years…when my savings run out because I went bankrupt from a bad critic's review, we'll be able to look back on this and laugh! So do your best, and try not to fumble your words, okay?" He nodded. "Now, iron this uniform and get back here tomorrow morning. The critic arrives in the city today, but he doesn't come by until Saturday. We need you to be on your best when he arrives."

"I won't let you down, Mr. Winthrop," He took the uniform and left the restaurant. That brought back fond memories of Danielle's first day. Maybe I _was_ overreacting.

* * *

"Adrianna, you got 'em?" Ramie asked. She nodded, and released a Grimer and a Raticate. The sun was setting on the horizon, and they had watched as the restaurant's owner, Calvin Winthrop, locked the doors and walked up the street.

"Whoa whoa, wait!" He drew his hand in front of her. "Look at that," A Gardevoir and Tyranitar were at his side. Apparently he was arguing with them, but this terrified Julie and Ramie. He definitely knew the food critic was coming if he was seen with those two. They gulped, and waited until nightfall. Their two other associates joined them. They had to make this nice and quick.

* * *

The next morning I woke up. Today was a day of preparation. I quickly got dressed and got Danielle and we went out to the restaurant.

'You're in a better mood today,' She said.

"You bet. I'm not going to let some critic put me out of business. We have loyal customers. They won't leave us."

When we arrived at the restaurant, I found Matthew, sleeping in a bench. He was in uniform, and he was here. Before us! "Well, he's made a pretty good first impression."

'Matthew, wake up,' Danielle nudged him awake. 'We're here, sweetie.'

"Oh!" He got up and stood up straight. "Reporting for duty. Wait, who said that?"

"Matthew, you know the Assistant Manager, Danielle Stewart," I said. "Molly mentioned her, didn't she?"

"As a matter of fact, no."

"We're both your bosses, except I'm her boss and she's your superior," I continued. "So, you take orders from her for the rest of your employment," I opened the door. There were strange scratch marks on the lock that weren't there before, but I didn't have time to acknowledge it. "Now, when customers roll in today, I'm going to need you to do what you did yesterday. Now you're not afraid of standing in front of a crowd, right?"

"Stage fright?" He asked. "Of course not."

"Good. We'll probably need thaAAAH!" The floor gave way beneath me and I dropped through and into the water beneath the restaurant. You know, if I wasn't so concerned, this would've actually felt good. I resurfaced, and they helped me up. I was soaking wet. "What the hell…what the hell is this?"

"It looks like a hole, Mr. Winthrop."

"That was a rhetorical question!" I said. "Damn it," I picked up a towel off of the counter, and tried drying myself off. "Better question. How in the hell did it happen?"

'This is bad,' She and Matthew stepped around the hole.

"We have to fix this damage before the critic arrives—" I ordered them to hush, and then pointed up. We could all hear scratching and groaning coming from the ceiling above us. It felt like my worst nightmare. "Oh hell no. OH…HELL…NO!"

I grabbed a broom and ran to the back stairs. Scratching sounds made my heart drop. This could only mean one thing.

"Dammit," I mumbled. "Like I didn't have to put up with this through my childhood, I have to put up with it when I'm an adUUULLT!" I slipped and fell backwards into a slimy purple fluid. All right, I'll admit it. I squealed like a girl. "No, NO! IT'S NOT…" Oh…oh, it was just sludge! Whew. "Disgusting! Where the hell did it come from?"

"Oh, god! Mr. Winthrop!" Matthew and Danielle came up after me, but were instantly repelled by the smell. "What's that smell?"

I turned to him. "That was rhetorical, wasn't it?"

"Yeah…you're going to fire me now, aren't you?"

I pointed my finger at him. "You're making a good first impression."

The smell grew worse as we continued down the hall, and those scratching sounds we heard from the first floor were getting louder. We came to a closet door. The sounds were loudest. I hushed the others, and stood in front of the door, raising the broom to swing it like a bat.

"On three," I wiggled the doorknob. "THREE"

I swung the broom downwards hoping to hit my target. I did, and I seemed happy for a moment, but when I finally realized what I hit, it sent a chill up my spine. A Raticate, now irritated beyond reason, fought with me over the broom and won. I jumped back as he attempted to hit me with it, and then he lunged at my face.

"Guys! A LITTLE HELP!"

"We'd love to," I turned over. That purple fluid I slipped on earlier, disappeared, and reappeared as a Grimer! It had cornered Matthew and Danielle. I fought the Raticate to my feet and locked it in the closet again and tried to help the two, but just as I got near, it shot a ball of…something, at me. I gasped.

* * *

"ARCEUS!" I cried. "It…it went in my mouth!"

I retreated to the Samiya's hall later that evening, after we were forced out of the restaurant. I locked the doors and closed the blinds, and waited for a professional to handle it. I brushed my teeth 8 times, and used mouthwash, but the taste still lingered. The sheer thought made me lose my appetite for the rest of the day.

"Oh, I'm sorry, Calvin," She said, through her human form as she was looking down at some files. "But what do you want me to do?"

"You said we were friends, right?" I asked. "So, let's talk!"

"Okay," She took off her glasses and looked at me. "I think its sabotage."

"What?"

"Okay, let's reflect," She said. "There's the hole in the floor, the scratches on the lock, and the two pokémon hiding out on the second floor. Someone broke in, Calvin, and set you up. Now think. Who would want to set you up for a bad critic's review?"

"Um…" I thought hard. "You know what? At the awards ceremony last year…after I accepted the award, I met a few of the other restaurants' owners, I could tell they weren't too thrilled. But come on, really. Jealousy?"

"Well, considering the fact that they've worked so hard for so much longer than you have," She replied.

"…true…" I thought. "But I don't really remember whose names were called."

"You have plenty of resources at your disposal."

I shivered, as I thought of this morning again. "This taste won't go away, Arceus."

"You have my condolences, Calvin."

I walked to the doors.

"Oh, wait!" She called. I turned around. "Calvin…I wanted to ask you something."

"Oh. Go ahead."

"Last year, when I asked you if our relations were in good quarters," She started. "I still haven't gotten a response from you."

I sighed. "After viewing Molly's decision on whether or not to trust Matthew anymore, I started to question my decision, about yours. Who am I to hold that over you?"

I placed my hand on her shoulder. "We're okay."

I left her presence and returned home.

* * *

"Sabotage?" Molly said, returning to her previous position under the rotary fan. "But why?"

"Jealousy, revenge, anything among those lines," I replied. "They want to get back on us for winning an award that was supposed to be theirs."

'That's petty,' Danielle said, sitting in an opposite chair.

"You're telling me," I said. "I need their names. I think I'm going to pay them a visit tomorrow."

"I think I remember one," Molly said. "Clara…Esposito. Yeah, that's it. She owns "The Grand Kitchen" across town."

'And Adriana Marino' Danielle continued. "The People's Eatery" is a nice place but I believe she only manages it. It's owned by her father."

I slept with that information. The next morning when the weather was coolest Millie and I went out to go see Ms. Esposito. She was a nice old lady, but I couldn't picture her in a jealous fit of rage. In fact, she was happy that I visited and told me a story of when she first opened her doors sometime back in the late 60's. She already won three awards! I left her restaurant feeling good with myself, and a cookie—which Millie fought over.

"Alright Millie, here!" I gave her the cookie. "Next is Ms. Marino."

I whistled on the way to her restaurant. Millie looked bothered.

"Something wrong, Millie?" I asked. "If I had the sword we could just talk about it."

She didn't respond. Something _was_ bothering her, and when something bothered her, it bothered me. So I rubbed her head and she started to smile.

"Look, there she…is?" A young woman was opening the doors to the restaurant up ahead. She looked no more than nineteen or twenty; as she saw us approaching, she made quick to open the door. I grew suspicious, and called to her. This she ignored and she scurried into the restaurant. "I smell guilt!"

I opened the door after her, and walked inside. The bells jingled with our entry. Millie followed shortly, looking around.

"Hello?" I called, walking further into the restaurant. "I saw you walking in here just now…I just want a cup of tea."

"Help!"

I spun around and ran back to the front of the restaurant, but of course it couldn't have been Millie's call. Instead, it was our missing person; she had hid underneath the counter! Well, Millie calmly greeted her and the two were laughing.

"She's really beautiful," She said. "What do you call her?"

"Millie," I replied. "Are you…Adriana?"

"No, unfortunately," She said calmly. "I don't think I can run a place like this."

"How old are you?" I asked.

"22," She said. "I work for Ms. Marino. She's been stressed lately."

"Yeah, so was I," I leaned back. "When I established Il Posto Per Godere. But it's actually fun once you get the hang of it."

"Il Posto Per Godere?" She asked. "Never heard of it."

I looked at her. "What! We were mentioned on the news, right?"

"I only just moved here," She replied. "I haven't gotten to know much of the sights yet. But wait…I do think I remember hearing Ms. Marino saying something about another restaurant with that name…"

"Is that right?" Possible suspect number one! "Well, tell her I need to speak to her when she gets in."

I walked to the door.

"May I ask you something?"

I turned around. "Fire away."

"Why did you go into the restaurant business?" I didn't take this offensively. After all, it was just a curious question.

"Well, if you must know," I said, walking back to her. "My wife and I both agreed that it was the best choice, and it's what I felt good doing. You know, the Culinary Arts is more than a place of business. It about the food you make. Now I could've been a scientist, but I wouldn't have been happy doing it."

"That's deep."

"Yeah, considering my 'place of business' has been sabotaged," She covered her mouth. "But no worries. When I finally find the saboteur, or saboteurs, I got a friendly pack of pokémon just dying to meet them—" Millie slapped me. "Okay fine, they will be dealt with by the local authorities," I turned to Millie. "You're no fun at all."

We both left the restaurant and headed back to our own.

* * *

"I'm back…" Calvin opened the door to the restaurant, which seemed to be loose on its hinges. "Danielle? Matthew?" He closed the door. A light fixture came loose from the ceiling. He dove for it just as it fell, and caught it before it broke. "What the…?"

"Oh, Calvin!" Daniele glided up to him. "They've struck again!"

"No kidding!" He said, placing the light fixture on the counter. "How did it go?"

"We couldn't find them," She replied. "But…you're not going to believe this, but he thinks the place has been booby trapped!"

"No, we just left the place intact yesterday!" He said. "Besides the floor, there's nothing…" She pointed him to a stool. He pulled it out, and it fell to pieces! He held the seat in his hands. "Okay, one stool, Danielle. But you can't honestly—" She waved him to a table. She took a sugar dispenser and gently placed it on the edge of the table. Five seconds later, the table fell to pieces. They both jumped back.

Calvin covered his face. "Okay, we're screwed."

"_Screwed_?" She repeated. "Calvin, it's more than that. If we're seen like this tomorrow, we're out of business for sure! Can we repair the damage?"

"Not in a day!" Molly joined them. "Plus I don't know where to start. Who knows what else could be sabotaged!"

"You mean like…the gas line?" He looked at her in shock. "Even if we covered up the mess, starting up the stove would be dangerous."

His voice broke up "Aww damn! I got my hopes up for nothing!"

"Calvin—"

"I should've seen this coming!" He continued. "Someone sabotages the restaurant to make the critics' outlook look bad? That was a giveaway!"

He walked to the doors. As he opened it, the door went flying off of its hinges. He groaned.

"Tell everyone not to bother coming tomorrow. We're done. Lock up…well, just come home when you're finished, Molly."

Danielle followed him, leaving Molly and Millie in the restaurant. Millie quietly strode around, observing the mess.

'_Psst! Hey Molly!'_

She looked around. "Latias?"

'_Yeah, it's me. Come around to the alleyway, I want to show you something.'_

"Millie, I'll be right back," Molly walked through the kitchen and opened the door to the alleyway. It wasn't very appealing out back; the vents and dumpsters were located there, but on the bright side it still had a nice view of the city from the second floor. "Latias, what is it?"

She revealed herself. 'I saw them leaving!'

"What?" She asked. "The guys who did this?"

'A man and a woman,' She replied. 'They were just leaving when I got here this morning. I've been looking for Calvin all day, but he never showed up.'

"Adriana Marino, I'll bet!" She nodded. "Why would she do this?"

'I don't think she ever was,' Latias said. 'She seemed to put up a fight against the guy about _not_ doing this. They plan to be back tonight with "something even bigger planned".'

"Well we're not going to let that happen!" I said. "Latias, will you help us?"

'Oh, I'll be glad to!' She exclaimed.

"Okay here's the plan," Molly said. "First we'll need Mismagius, then…"

* * *

Ramie and Adriana, along with their 'associates' from the other night, crept up on the restaurant again. It was the eve of the critic's arrival on this restaurant, and once the rating was bad enough, they were out of business for good.

"Derek, thanks for lending me your Zangoose," He nodded in reply. "Those claws of his were sick!"

"He…he came by, today."

"This guy?" He pointed to the restaurant. She nodded. "What for?"

"He was looking for me; I think he's on to us," She said. "Ramie…I know you're doing all this for me, but I don't think I can go through with it anymore."

He sighed. "And I don't want you to. But we're still going to do this. Don't worry. He'll still be in business when we're done. The critic's the one who's going to put him out."

He pecked her on the cheek and the four snuck across the street and into the restaurant. The door was still open. They approached the counter, and placed their equipment there. Adriana looked around. It almost felt as if they were being watched…

There were strange creaking noises. The four of them took notice.

"Okay, let's just set up and leave."

"Don't worry, Chris, everything's—what the…?" Their equipment had vanished. "I could've sworn I just put it here…"

"Yeah, well now it's outside!" Adriana pointed out to the street: their equipment was lying there. Everyone became nervous.

"Someone go get it."

"I'm not going," Derek and Chris replied in unison.

"Fine, I'll go," Ramie slowly left his counterparts and walked back out into the street, and grabbed his things. He stopped to wonder a little more of how they got there in the first place. He swung them over his shoulder, and turned around to rejoin his friends, but as he neared the restaurant, he could not believe his eyes; an arm or something, extended itself out of the hole in the floor, and neared Derek. "Derek, behind you!"

There was no stopping this. He failed to turn around in time, and it wrapped around his legs and pulled him towards the hole. Ramie broke into a run. Adrianna and Chris tried to help him, but it soon started to pull them as well. Ramie joined and tried to help and Chris sunk into the water.

"Help me!" He yelled.

"We're trying!" They pulled at his arms, but as the water soaked his clothes, it made it much more difficult to keep a steady grip, and he slipped. "DEREK!"

He was pulled underwater. The last few air bubbles floated to the surface, and all was quiet again. Adriana backed up to the counter.

"I don't want to do this anymore!" She whimpered. Ramie tried to comfort her.

"We have to go look for him-" They heard a door shut; it was their only way out. Ramie pulled at the doorknob, but unbelievably, it wouldn't budge. He picked up a stool and tried to break the glass, but the glass was the better match. He tried the window, but unsuccessfully got it to break. "We're…we're trapped!"

"There's an exit through the kitchen," They helped Adriana up, and walked around the counter to the kitchen.

Chris pulled a flashlight out of his pocket, and turned it on. The kitchen was dark and dreary, but it looked safe to cross. The light landed on the back door, and they quickly walked to it. Ominously, pots and pans started to rattle, which caused them do stop again out of fear. They felt another presence in the kitchen, too. Adriana ran into Ramie's arms for support, but even he was scared for his own life.

"Keep walking," He said. "The faster we get out of here, the faster we find Derek."

They reached the door. Ramie started undoing the locks. Chris thought he saw something moving in a corner, and he spun his flashlight. He saw a set of eyes reflect in the light, but as he rubbed his eyes, the figure vanished. His hand trembled.

"D-Dude…"

"Chris, I need some light," He turned back. "Hold it steady, will ya?"

He tried to, but his fears got the best of him. Ramie was about halfway through the lock on the floor when something was placed around Chris's mouth, muffling his cries for help. He dropped the flashlight to fight for his freedom, but he lost.

"Damn it, Chris," Ramie turned around. The flashlight was rolling around on the floor; its wielder was nowhere to be found. "Chris?"

"Where did he go?" Adriana covered her mouth. Ramie picked up his flashlight and spun it around frantically, but his friend could not be found. Suddenly they heard a cry for help echo from the upper floor, which was muffled instantly. "Ramie…"

"Adriana," He held her. "It's okay."

"No, it's not!" She cried. "I told you this was a bad idea! Now he's picking us off one by one!"

"Look, I know he wouldn't kill us," He replied. "He's just trying to scare us into leaving him alone."

"Well, it's working!" She walked to the door. "Did you get it unlocked, yet?"

"No, it's been bolted from the outside," He showed her, that he had gotten the locks open, but when he pulled at it, it didn't budge. "Let's find another exit. There are some rooms upstairs, remember?"

"Right," She took her by the hand and walked back around the restaurant to a secluded set of stairs. When they reached the second floor, that eerie feeling swept over them again. "Ramie, what do you think happened to them?"

"I don't know, but it isn't going to happen to us."

"Will we find them?" She stopped him. "How many places could they possibly have been taken?"

"I don't know, but once we get out of here, we'll…we'll…" As he looked at her, the silhouette of a large pokémon surrounded her. It's eyes glew blood red. "BEHIND YOU!"

Adriana started to spin as the menacing creature wrapped its arms around her. She struggled to get free. Ramie threw fists at it, but its skin was as hard as rock. He gripped his hands in pain as it turned into a closet. He chased after it, but when he opened the door the two were gone. He could hear Adriana's scream echo in the distance.

"He's not going to kill us," He muttered. "He's not going to kill us…"

A door opened down the hall. He was swept off his feet, and was thrown down the hall and into a large office. He rolled to a halt, and looked up. I chair spun around and revealed a ghost pokémon—a Mismagius. He stood up again, both out of anger and fear.

"Greetings," She said quietly. "You must be the one who has been causing chaos to Calvin's store."

"W-What you want from me?"

She glided out of the chair. "I want for you to leave. Though," She chuckled. "If it were that easy, then we wouldn't be having this conversation."

"What have you done with the others?" He asked.

"You should have stopped when you had the chance," She replied. "You should have listened to her. Now they must pay the price."

"Your owner would never let you do this," He replied, with a bit of courage. "The cops will come looking for them, you know."

"And what will they think?" She asked, gliding in circles around him. "A couple of misfits thought it was funny to sabotage another man's place of business, and they died in a horrific accident from their own actions? Say, a gas leak?" His courage diminished quickly. "And whatever made you think that Calvin was _my_ owner?"

He backed up. He didn't know if he was hallucinating or not, but ghostly figures that looked like soldiers, started appearing through the walls. He thought that they couldn't hurt him since they were just ghosts after all, but the tip of blade of one of the soldiers' swords cut his cheek, and they encircled him.

"However, I am feeling…lenient, today," She continued. "Shall I make this slow and quick?"

A soldier jabbed his sword into the wall beside Ramie's head.

"Or…give you a headstart?" He looked confused. "The clock's ticking…"

He made a run for it. He didn't care whether or not it was real. He burst out of the restaurant, upon which the doors finally worked, and he ran up the street, never to return. Mismagius smiled. The room was empty.

"The coast is clear."

Millie threw Derek to the ground; Latias threw Chris next to him. They both got up.

"GET OUT!" They took off down the hall. Molly appeared with Adriana, and she was about to run when they stopped her.

"We have a little something…more, planned for you, Adriana Marino." Said Mismagius, with the help of Latias.

* * *

I woke up on this disdainful Saturday morning. I didn't really want to get out of bed, since I knew what was going to happen today, but I at least had to make something out of it. I put on my robe and walked downstairs to where Danielle was so eagerly waiting.

"What's with you?" I asked.

"Get dressed; we're going to the restaurant."

"Danielle—"

"I don't want to hear it! Go get dressed!" She pushed me back up the stairs.

After I got dressed and rejoined her, she dragged me to the restaurant. Now I know what it's like to smell disappointment in the air. She pushed two brand new doors open and led me inside. I couldn't believe my eyes! Everything was repaired, and prepared! The tables were clean, the stools were fixed, and the floor—oh my god, it looked like nothing ever happened! Molly and Millie were cleaning up.

"Hi, dad!"

"Come here!" I took her in my arms, and spun her around. "I don't believe it! How did you get everything prepared so quickly?"

"We had a little help, if you know what I mean," Something gently brushed my shoulder.

'_Look behind you,'_ I turned around, and that same young woman that I saw at "The People's Eatery" yesterday emerged from the kitchen with Mismagius in tow. I joined the two.

She looked unusually guilty, and I caught on fast. "Are you…Adriana now?"

"Yes," She confessed. "I'm so sorry, Mr. Winthrop. But it wasn't me; it was my boyfriend, Ramie."

"Boyfriend?" Everyone exclaimed in of shock, except me and Danielle.

"It's a surprise, isn't it?" She asked. "At first I was mad. Come on, who wasn't? But you had more to lose than I did, and I just couldn't see it through."

"There was no stopping him, huh?" She shook her head. "I'm sorry, Adriana, but rules are—OW!" Millie slapped me again. "Will you cut that out?" She gave me a sympathetic look. "Alright, alright. I forgive you. The good thing is, is that the critic didn't see any of this."

"Good Morning Mr.—whoa," Matthew came in, but he stopped to look around in fascination. "Mr. Winthrop, how did you get the place repaired so fast?"

"I didn't, thank Mol—" Molly stared at him for a moment, and then continued what she was doing. Matthew looked at me for support, but there was not much I could say.

The critic strode up to the street sometime around twelve and entered the restaurant. By now, the breakfast menus had been swapped out with the regular ones. Adriana told me that he came by her restaurant yesterday, but didn't say much as to her food. She stayed for the extra support.

"Good morning, Mr. Stroud," I said. "Enjoyed your stay in Alto Mare?"

"Not as much as I'll enjoy this," He said sarcastically. I gave him his menu and showed him to his table. I then retreated back to behind the counter and waited until he was finished ordering.

"I'm so dead," I whispered.

'Be calm, Calvin,' Danielle said. 'All Matthew has to do is take his order, give him his food, and then it's done!'

He was ready to order. I pushed Matthew out to him. He returned five minutes later, and I placed the order in the kitchen. The doors opened, and Codie entered.

"Hey Codie, what are you doing here?" I whispered.

"I came to support you!" She replied. "A big critic here today judge your restaurant? That's exciting!"

"Hey, what do you know about him?" I asked.

"Well, my mom and I don't approve of his critique, but I heard that six restaurants have closed down because of it."

"Yeah, let me rephrase it," I said to Danielle. "I _am_ dead!"

'Ssh! Here comes Matthew with the food.'

Matthew placed his drink at the table, and then returned, holding three large plates of food. I grabbed my chest. He started to stumble. We all, including even Molly, started to gasp, but he caught his ground and continued to the table. He placed them in front of Mr. Stroud and then returned to us.

"Whew!" He said. "I nearly slipped, but it was like something caught me."

'_Coincidence!'_ I scoffed.

An hour passed. When I thought tensions had eased, everything flared up again. Mr. Stroud paid for his meal, got up, gave me one look and exited the restaurant. This was the end.

* * *

"There," I said, signing the last check. "That should cover your bills for the next few months."

I had given all the workers compensation checks, in the event that the critic would give us a bad rating and we were shut down. They had all gathered in my office, as I turned on the evening news. Matthew walked up to my table.

"I'm sorry, Mr. Winthrop."

"No, it's not your fault," I said. "You did great."

"I know that, but I was talking about Molly," He said. "I tried talking to her, but she left before I could get a chance."

"You know what, I'll go talk to her when I get home," He nodded.

"Ssh, the critic is on!"

We all gathered at the TV.

"So, Adrian, how was your trip to Alto Mare?" The Anchorman asked.

"All's well that ends well," He replied. "Including the restaurants I've visited. Clara Esposito has one of the finest restaurants in the city, might I add, and just to let me know, she gave me a cookie. Well, I accepted it with delight and left for my next destination. "Cuisine with Elegance" is next on the list. I almost felt at home with the service I was bestowed with. Two thumbs up to that restaurant as well. Now, let's move on to the last two: "The People's Eatery" and "Il Posto Per Godere". First off, I would like to conclude that Adriana Marino has one of the finest talents for her age."

She gasped, covered her mouth, and fought back tears.

"She exerts powerful management over her employees, and it reflects on the menu. Now there's a place I'd like to visit if I return to the city."

"Mr. Winthrop," She cried. "D-Do you mind if I use your phone?"

"Not at all. Congratulations."

She nodded, and walked over to my desk.

"Now, for the last one—"

"Oh, Christ," I sighed. "Did you hear how he said that?"

"Il Posto Per Godere has got to be one of the finest restaurants I have ever laid eyes on!"

My jaw dropped to the floor!

"Outstanding management under Calvin Winthrop, might I add," He said. "There must have been something in the air when I entered the restaurant, because it was as if the customers were happier, entering this sanctuary of the Culinary Arts. I'd give four thumbs up if I had two more!"

"Excellent, Adrian!" The Anchor lady continued. "It seems that you've enjoyed yourself in Alto Mare."

"Yes," He said, and turned to the screen. "If anyone is planning their vacations, I would suggest you visit Alto Mare. You will _not_ be disappointed!"

I turned off the TV, as the entire employee body burst into cheer.

"You see?" I said loudly. "I told you to keep it up!"

'Oh please, Calvin,' Danielle said. 'You were freaking out since day one.'

"Alright, alright, I'll admit it," I said to them. "I did feel a little…intimidated by a food critic's visit, but it will not happen again! Now that we've heard the good news we're going to keep up the good work!"

Everyone agreed.

"Now give me back those checks."


	12. Life On Mars

**Inspired by both the book and the series, we're going to take a trip down memory lane. The next five chapters or so should explain about three back plots. Enjoy reading!**

* * *

"Thanks for your help again, Latias," I said to her. "Her boyfriend, wow…some people are just driven by jealousy."

We locked up, and she and I walked home. There was always tomorrow. I could tell that after hearing the critic's review, customers were going to be rushing in like crazy tomorrow morning.

'It was no big deal, Calvin,' She said. 'So, is it true?'

"What?"

'Cornelia considers you an uncle?' I nodded.

"It's so sweet," I said. "That means that Lugia would be considered…my brother. I mean, we've had each other's backs since…well, since that battle with Mateo. Hey, I was an only child, so I think it's great to have a brother."

'Yeah…'

"Oh. Oh, Latias, I'm sorry," We stopped. "I forgot. Any luck, by the way?"

'No, no new flashbacks since the sea,' She replied. 'Calvin, do you think I'll ever get my memory back?'

"Yes, you will. We're not going to give up trying."

She nodded. 'How are Molly and Matthew doing? Did they kiss yet?'

"Unfortunately not," We continued walking. Actually, that was a good thing that they didn't kiss. "It's the most horrible coincidence, but his last name is Morgan, and ever since she found that out she hasn't spoken to him."

'Oh no. Matthew _Morgan_?' I sighed. 'Son of the evil doctor? Well that's just bad luck.'

"You don't know the half of it."

We continued our conversation all the way back to the house, where I offered her a stay, but she turned it down, mentioning something about later, but I didn't hear it. She disappeared, and I unlocked the door and walked inside. The light in the kitchen was on. "Molly?" It was her. She was sitting on the floor, eating out of a jug of ice cream. "Molly, what are you doing?"

"Eating ice cream," She gulped. "It was the only way I could stay cool."

I sat down next to her. "Oh yeah? What will you use for tomorrow?"

She looked at me. "I'll take my chances."

I chuckled. "You _could_ always come to the restaurant. I mean, I may have skimped on A/C here, but I'm not a caveman."

"I…I think I'll pass."

"On A/C?" She nodded slowly. "Or Matthew?"

She stopped eating. "Dad, I need your advice again. What do I do?"

"Well, now that I've witnessed your decision, I can give you some advice," I replied. "You can start by _not_ holding this over him."

"I had a feeling you were going to say that."

"I have good reason to."

"Dad, what if he turns out like him?" She asked. "What if, when we get older, he becomes obsessed with science, and the madness starts all over again?"

"Then I'll kick his ass," She laughed. "Look, Molly, the future is uncertain. You don't know what he'll do, and I can guarantee that once he finds out what his father is doing, he'll never walk that path. I haven't told you this yet, but…Morgan didn't want me to let Matthew and Caitlyn know that he was alive."

"Why?" He asked. "They deserve to know. I don't think he has a choice."

"Yeah, well, Morgan doesn't know your father," Molly smiled. "But still, Morgan proved to Matthew what science can do to a person by faking his death, so I'm pretty sure that Matthew has chosen a different career by now."

"Thanks, dad," She rested her head on my shoulder.

"Oh, I'm not done yet," She groaned. "Molly, please. He's nothing like his father. You and I both know by being around the two. Talk to Matthew for me? I've noticed that you've been avoiding him for months, and he's really concerned about you."

"I'll try," She said. "Do you think he'll be mad at me?"

"No, he just wants to hear your voice," I stroked her hair.

The phone rang. I reached up onto the counter and answered it. "Hello?"

"Hi, Calvin."

"Oh, hey, mom," Molly looked up. "How's everything?"

"Great! Your father's home!"

"Really?" Looks like he found my note and took the advice. "That's…good."

"He wants to speak to you, so do you mind coming over?"

"Kind of."

"Calvin, you've been avoiding him for years," She said. "You were always mad that he was never here, and how he is. Come speak to him."

"But mom, I—"

"I'm fine, dad," Molly said.

I groaned. "Fine. I'll be there tomorrow."

I said goodbye and hung up, then turned back to Molly. "You're fine, huh? You're still going to speak to Matthew."

"I will."

* * *

"Gallade," He approached me. "I'm going to see my dad. Care to join?" He nodded, and then shot me a confused look. "I know you know we fell out, but he's home for once, and he says he wants to speak to me."

Electivire was sleeping out on the terrace, Mismagius accompanied Molly and Millie to an art studio across town, and Typhlosion went to the park with Staraptor to use the heat wave to his advantage in a sparring match. Also, I needed them to stay at home in case something happened to Latias again, and I needed Gallade with me if I was ambushed. It sounds like I'm paranoid, but I couldn't take any chances.

We took the next ferry bound for Vermilion City. It took about three hours to reach my hometown and when we arrived, I was welcomed with a wave of nostalgia. I hadn't been here since 2002, when I was searching the world for Molly and Danielle, and I stopped by the house expecting to see both of my parents, but unfortunately only mom was there. Since then, nothing had changed. This town was as retro as it could get.

"Is that who I think it is?"

I turned around. "No way. Nate?"

Nate, or Nathan Carmichael, was a childhood friend of mine. His hair had grown exceptionally since the last time I saw him, so did his beard. He was wearing a light, brown-gray jacket, camouflage shorts and hiking boots. One time he and I went out onto the route and dug a whole cave out of the earth and used it as our secret base. It also proved worthy as a heat shelter on days like this. He and I were rivals for a time while I was a trainer—another reason for my decision. Nate always had big plans for the future, which evolved from his passion for digging things up. He probably would've done great as an architect, but he chose something closer to home—Archaeology. He had a Manectric by his side, which was supposed to match my Electivire, but that would never happen.

"What are you doing here?" I asked. "Last time I heard from you, you were in Snowpoint City."

"Yeah. Snow is not a great environment to find fossils," His Manectric barked, agreeing with him.

"Is that the same little Electrike, that—"

"Yeah!" He laughed. "Is that the same Ralts?"

The two looked at each other, and so did we.

"How long _has_ it been?" We asked, in unison.

"Well, I've got to go see my dad; he's in town," I said.

"Your dad?" I nodded. "I thought you hated him."

"I don't _hate_ him," I replied. "I could never hate my dad. But let's be honest. Could you picture me in a lab coat?"

He chuckled. "It's not much of a surprise, but…I'm an Archaeologist. Check this out: a couple of months ago, we uncovered a fossil of a Kabutops in some volcanic rock on Mount Chimney. First off, we were trying to figure out how it was so far displaced from Kanto, which we started to theorize over. They say that it can be restored to its original form, but I'm a little foggy on the fossil restoration process. Anyway the find was pretty amazing, and I was thinking of starting my own archaeology firm."

"Not up to the standards, where you are?"

"No, my job is great," He replied. "I work for this very nice Egyptian woman, Sue C. Ra. She's the Director of Archaeology at the Oreburgh City Research Center. Do you know her?"

"No, never heard of—wait, spell that for me?"

"S-U-E…C…R-A."

What in the hell? That was "Arceus" spelled back…oh, you've got to be kidding me! What did the "C" stand for? "Creator"? I shook my head and returned to Nate.

"Go ahead, man," I said. "If that's your passion, then do it. I mean, you know I'm a restaurant owner. We just got an award last year for impeccable service for over a decade. And, I'm not trying to rub it in or anything, but a critic rated us one of the best restaurants in Alto Mare."

"Damn, that's great," He said. "You really think I can do this?"

"Yeah, go for it."

My mother's house wasn't located in direct vicinity of the city; instead, it was more by the city limits. When my dad moved from scientist to professor, so did they. He built a new house outside the chaos of the inner city and in the plain forest-like tranquility of Vermilion Heights. We arrived at the gated compound, and walked up to the glimmering two-story mansion.

"Seriously, Calvin," Nate looked around. "How long _has_ it been? Your parents are rich!"

"I'm still happy with my career choice, thank you," I said. "But damn…I have to visit more often."

I rang the doorbell. No one answered. We both heard a call from the other side of the house, and we walked along a cobblestone pathway to the garden out back. It was huge. Tulips, Roses, Begonias, Daffodils, Hydrangeas, and many more kinds of flowers were spread out in flower beds that circled a center fountain. By now, my mind had started to betray me.

"Hello, Calvin!" Mom called from a flower bed in front of us. "Who's your friend?"

"This is Nathan Carmichael, remember?"

"Oh, Nathan!" She stopped what she was doing and came to hug him. "How are you? I haven't seen you since you were a little boy!"

"Great. I'm an archaeologist now."

"Well, you followed your dream," She said. "Calvin, you're probably wondering where your father is, well…he left for Saffron a few hours ago."

"What? Why?"

"He had a seminar to attend, but he'll be back before the day is done," She said. "He really didn't want to cancel on you, because he had something important to talk to you about."

"Typical," I mumbled. "Anyway, Mom. Whose house is this?"

"Ours, you idiot!" She said. "This is what happens when you don't come to visit."

"You get _rich_?" She nodded.

"Your father was promoted to the Mossdeep Space Center almost ten years ago," She said. "Ever since, it's been hectic for us. Besides, Calvin. You own a successful restaurant in a beautiful city. You obviously don't need our help. I heard what that critic said."

"Well," I chuckled. "Okay, yeah. You know what? I'm going to meet dad in Saffron right now."

"Are you sure?"

"Yeah, it's only a two hour walk," I said. "And I'm sure he can talk to me about whatever it is there."

"Don't mind me," Nate called, now lying in a hammock under the gazebo on the patio. His Manectric was resting on the ground beside him. "Just yell when you get back."

"Thanks for the help," He gave me a thumbs up. "I'll be back, mom. Come on, Gallade."

We left the estate and walked up the street to the city limits, and then walked for an hour up the route. By then, Saffron's golden skyline was visible in the distance. What was so important about dad's seminar that he couldn't tell me about it, and then leave if he had something to tell me? This made no sense.

"I'll ask him when we get there, eh, Gallade?" I turned to him. He wasn't there. I looked around until I spotted him a short walk back down the route. Then he unexpectedly darted into the trees. "Gallade!"

I ran after him. He was moving fast, and it was hard keeping up with all these trees in my way. Soon I was too far away from the route to find my way back, but I wasn't leaving until I found out what was wrong with him. It was as if something compelled him to change direction.

When I finally caught up with him, he had already stopped. "Gallade, what are you doing? We don't have time for—"

He hushed me, and then turned back to the area in front of him. A Celebi flew out to us. I didn't see that coming and jumped back in fright.

'I apologize for the scare,' She said, panting. 'Calvin, right?'

"Yes," I said. "Is everything okay? You're all the way out in Kanto."

'I'm being chased,' She said. 'I know you're Arceus' third in command, so…can you please help me?'

"Of course," She nestled herself in my arms. "Who's chasing you?"

'Hunters,' She said. 'They're trying to capture me.'

Pokémon hunting was supposed to have been outlawed in 1982, and yet here we were in 2010, and they still did it. We're talking about the same type of people who killed Serena's parents and almost captured Millie while she was running an errand. They never said who brought it up in the first place, because the 80's was such a crazy decade. I wouldn't be surprised if someone smudged the information.

"Don't worry. I won't let anything happen to you."

Just to test that pledge, a fireball exploded in our vicinity. I covered my eyes and ran through the trees.

"Great!" I yelled. "I just wanted to speak to my father, and now I'm being hunted!"

'Calvin, duck!'

I did as I was told, and ducked. When I looked up, a tree had been sliced clean through its trunk, and fell towards us. I backed up and tripped over a tree root, and rolled downhill towards a river. I shielded Celebi with my body until I came to a stop.

"Celebi…" She wasn't in my arms. "Celebi?"

She was lying unconscious by the water in front of me. I sprang to my feet, just to get caught in another trap. A Scyther blade appeared around my neck, and I stood still. He could easily behead me.

"Thanks for cooperating," A voice echoed. Make that two, as two men in identical suits, accompanied by three more men and a Magmortar, slid down the hill and joined us by the riverside. They picked Celebi up.

"I thought you guys were legit," I said. "You have organizations for this?"

"Keep quiet, or he'll kill you," The Scyther's blade drew closer. I sighed.

'What is this, my sixth death threat?' Death threats were my new look, but not many seemed to faze me anymore. "I'm getting too old for this crap. Gallade," I slipped out of the Scyther's arm and Gallade hit him with a powerful jump kick. The Magmortar was getting ready to attack next. I picked some dirt up and threw it into his eyes and he fumbled the attack, shooting it directly into the ground where it exploded, whipping up some cover smoke. I dove for Celebi and caught her, and rolled and continued up the riverside.

"Celebi, wake up!" She opened her eyes. "Are you alright?"

"I was faking," She sprang to life. "Let's get away quick, before they realize we've escaped—"

"Too late!" The hunters' Scyther landed in front of us, and was in the process of beheading me again when Gallade pushed me out of the way, and took the hit. He countered with his razor sharp arms and picked the Scyther up and threw him against a tree. Celebi's eyes started to glow.

'I can't take this!'

"Hand her over," The hunter called. "Or we will kill you."

"Oh come on," I groaned. "Is that the best you got?"

"Have it your way. Magmortar!"

"Gallade!"

The two launched their attacks. Celebi broke free of my grip and stood between us as the attacks collided, with the residual force whipping me off the ground and into a tree. I fell to the ground and lost consciousness.

* * *

"Celebi…" I muttered. "Celebi!"

I opened my eyes. I was lying in the same spot, except now the sun had drifted into the late afternoon. I looked up. Gallade was lying across from me, but there was no sign of Celebi.

"Gallade, wake up," I walked over to him and shook him awake. "No, no, no…damn it, they took her."

Not only was I now sidetracked, but I had to broaden my search to not only looking for Morgan but also freeing a fellow legendary from the clutches of some pokémon hunters. Arceus wouldn't be too pleased to hear this. I looked up and down the river. There were no signs of a battle. This was the exact same place, so how could there not be any? Gallade groaned, but I figured it was because of the incident earlier. I needed to contact Latias and the others to tell them what had happened so that we could assess the problem better. The best thing to do right now was to return to mom and Nate, and tell them that I couldn't stay. Dad should've been home by now. Whatever he had to say, he had better make it quick.

"Gallade, we've got to go," I called, heading toward the trees. "We have to find Celebi."

He wasn't following. This was a first for him.

"Gallade, what are you waiting for…" I looked back to him. There was blood in his hand. He looked at it, and then to me. There was a large, deep cut on his side. His eyes rolled back and he started to collapse. "Gallade!" I caught him halfway. "Hold on, just hold on!"

I took off my shirt and wrapped it around his midsection, and then helped him up. We started to walk slowly, back through the forest in at least a straight line. Hopefully doing so would help us get back to the route. We then walked for hours through the endless forest until nightfall, almost losing all sight, and hope that we would ever find the route. Gallade's condition was deteriorating, and I had to get him help fast before he lost consciousness.

"Thanks for the save," I never did thank him for stepping in the way of that Scyther's blade. "Now I'm returning the favor. But I can't do that unless we find the route."

"Is someone out there?"

That voice echoed from nearby. We didn't find the route, but maybe we could get some help from some travelers. I turned in the direction of the voice, with light from a campfire entering my darkened field of vision. The campers were no more than seventeen or eighteen, and they jumped back in shock when they saw our conditions.

"Well, this is something you don't see every day," I joked. "My friend needs some help."

These travelers didn't look anything like the kids I usually saw. For some strange reason their physical attire looked very retro, but I didn't have time to fascinate myself over this. These travelers, fortunately had supplies and they helped me lower Gallade onto an extra sleeping bag where we took care of him.

"What's your name, kid?"

"Natalie," She said. "Um, what happened to him?"

I sighed. "We were in a battle with some pokémon hunters and a Scyther injured him."

"Well, that's not new," She said. "That's like the hundredth attack this year."

She rejoined her friends, leaving me confused. I followed after I finished taking care of Gallade and sat by the fire.

"What do you mean 'the hundredth attack this year'?"

"Pokémon hunting is an everyday thing," She said. "There's nothing much we can do about it. I had to beg my mom to let me become a trainer."

"Pokémon hunting is outlawed," I said. "There can't be that many attacks this year, or Kanto would've been in a state of emergency."

"They didn't outlaw it yet, but I heard that they might be in the process of doing it."

'You've got to be kidding me,' No signs of a battle where we woke up, a disappearance of both Celebi and the hunters, the fact that these kids didn't have a clue what I was talking about, and their physical attire. "Wait…I know this might be a stupid question, but…what year is this?"

The three looked at each other, whispered amongst themselves and then returned to me.

"1982."


	13. Maternal Protection

**Wow, I can feel a different vibe through the story as I write. It must be because of the era. Enjoy the chapter.**

* * *

As much as I didn't want to freak out, I made it all too obvious. "Whoa whoa hold up," I jumped to my feet and scanned the trio of travelers. Their facial expressions remained the same. "This can't be 1982…I…you…no, this is 2010…this has to be some sort of joke."

"No," Natalie chuckled. "This is 1982. 2010…? Where did you draw that number from?"

I groaned. "Look, when I woke up this morning, it was 2010. So there's no way that where I'm standing this evening, it's 1982. I…"

I phased them out and started to think. When I hit the tree I must've hit my head and ended up in some sort of coma. A possible answer; it's happened before…kind of. There was also something else. During a short encounter with Dialga, a remarkably talkative person once you get to know him, he mentioned anomalies, in the timeline. As master of time he corrects these anomalies, also mentioning that a time shifter, a person or pokémon with the ability to travel through time, caused these anomalies. When I reflected I did remember hearing that Celebi could do such a thing. So let's say that…just by chance, she did transport us 28 years into the past, and in my time, she was in the hands of pokémon hunters…or maybe not. If she transported _us_ here, then she would've had to have transported _herself_ as well. We needed to find her, but for now that would have to wait, because Gallade was seriously injured.

"Mister?" One of Natalie's friends called. I snapped back into focus. "Are you okay?"

I turned to them. "You know what? I've had a long day. I must be losing it," I took a deep breath and sat back down. As I did this, I felt something in my back pocket. I pulled it out; it was that crystalline medallion that Kisaki had gifted me with! I must've never taken it out of this pair of pants when I threw them in the wash. Well, at least the medallion was shiny and clean now. I put it in a safer pocket to avoid breaking it.

"By the way, you can call me Calvin," My first name was all they needed to know. I would risk becoming another one of Dialga's anomalies if I told them what my last name was. 28 years ago now I should be…8 years old, and I couldn't, or shouldn't rather, exist twice in the same time frame.

They all nodded. "Is that a pokémon in there, if I may ask?"

"Yeah, that's Gallade," I replied. Then I remembered something. In the mid-80's they were still just discovering the 150 pokémon that were in Kanto alone. They had no idea that in actuality, there were more than 500 different kinds of pokémon worldwide. "He and I are from Sinnoh," Just as I expected, they shared confused looks. "Sinnoh has pokémon, but they haven't been discovered yet."

"So you're a trainer?" They asked.

"You could say that."

I spent a few hours explaining what Sinnoh was like, and showing them many of the new pokémon from a family portrait in my wallet. This was all I had on me; I had nothing else on me to convince them of my being from 2010. Afterwards, everyone slipped into their sleeping bags and drifted off to sleep, but I stayed up a little longer and continued trying to figure out how to locate Celebi. I looked at my ring for a moment, and stopped. Every year since Emelina's death I would visit her grave. She wasn't buried in Alto Mare for obvious reasons; instead, she was buried in her home town, close to her parents. I knew this wasn't going to end when I planned—the whole Morgan fiasco, and now this—so it wasn't easy when I decided not to visit her grave this year. I rubbed my eyes and continued looking at it for a while, and then lie back on the ground and fell asleep. This was very uncomfortable without a shirt.

When I woke up the next morning my first instinct was to check on Gallade. He hadn't done anything major since we patched him up, and this worried me. I'd shown him gratitude the day before for saving my life, but I knew him; he had a ton of pride, and losing just one battle really pissed him off. I looked up to see if he was alright, but it was even better than that—he wasn't there.

"What the…?" I got up. "Gallade…damn it, you can't do this to me now!" I looked back at the camp site. Unfortunately nothing had changed. I held my head and ran into the forest.

It didn't take me long to find him. He was down by the river, venting some form of anger by expressing his power. He violently slashed at the trees, leaving deep cuts in them.

"Gallade, what are you doing?" I whispered. "It may not look like much but this is going to hurt the timeline—"

He shot me a look that meant "back off". That wasn't going to happen.

"You want to hit something? Fine," I backed up. "Hit me. This way you're free from affecting the timeline."

He ignored me and continued slashing at the tree. I cringed with every slash. I had to annoy him somehow, so I picked up a rock and threw it at him. Gallade stopped his attacks, and straightened up. Everything went quiet. Okay, this was a sign that this was no time for feeling sorry for one's self. Unfortunately Gallade's species retaliate when provoked at a time like this, and he spun around. Luckily for me this caused him to double over in pain, and I rushed to his aid.

"You've only just stopped bleeding," I helped him up. "Look, Gallade, I know you're angry, but we really don't have time for this. We have to find Celebi and get back home. When we get there, you can have all the revenge you want."

He thought about it for a moment, and then held out his hand. I shook it; we had a deal.

* * *

"This is Joshua and Tiffany," Natalie said, introducing her two friends to me as they packed up for their journey. "They're cousins, but they act like they don't know one another."

"I see," They hoisted their bags onto their backs and joined us. "Could you lead us out to the route?"

As nice as this little group looked, I really needed to get going. But in which direction, was a better question. I guess the best place to start was Saffron, where I was initially headed. These travelers were going in the opposite direction, back to Vermilion City. 28 years from now, this would be a pretty awkward reunion. We walked through the forest and came out onto a poorly maintained roadway, which was then Route 6, to my remembering.

"I hope your…Gallade," I nodded as she got it right. "Gets better, Calvin. Any chance we might see you again?"

I thought about it and smiled. "Maybe."

We went our separate ways.

Continuing our walk from where we left off in 2010, we arrived in Saffron City about an hour later. The city had definitely seen better days: the saffron colored roofs—hence the very name of the city—of the houses we passed on our way around town were long worn out and fading, with graffiti on sides of the buildings. There was one sight I'd never thought I'd see again: Silph Corporation's massive tower at the center of town. I had to be in 1982, because they removed the sign from the top of building in 2005.

"I need some new clothes," With no shirt on and pants that looked like they'd been to hell and back, I slipped into a store and bought some new clothes. They hadn't changed the design of the dollar in almost 30 years, which was good for me and the forgers in my time. I stepped out of the store, in a tan blazer, a new undershirt, and a new pair of jeans. I had also bought a new hat. Gallade looked at me and shook his head. I tried to find my apparel in the least retro-looking setting as possible, but I failed miserably. "What?" Now that that was taken care of, we walked around town with no purpose, surveying the poorly kept streets and the rotting buildings. In 10 years this would all change.

"Look, Gallade, I'm sorry I have you walking around with an injury," We slipped into the subway and sat on a bench. "But so far I haven't come up with anything."

I clasped my hands and started to think. "I mean, you must want to be with Danielle right now."

There was a long, silent pause following this. Gallade sighed, and looked down. _'I could be a lot of places.'_

I shook my head. "Stop trying to—" Pause. Rewind. That was the first time I heard his voice—telepathically, at least. "Danielle's been teaching you telepathy, hasn't she?" He nodded. His voice had matured greatly since the last time I heard it, almost mirroring mine. But even in telepathy it showed signs of weakness. My stomach growled; we hadn't eaten in two days. "Gallade, I know you like her. It's nothing to hide from me."

He scoffed. _'If I told you, you would've made fun of it.'_

"No I wouldn't. It's love," I said. "You, Danielle, me, Emelina…Molly and Matthew, with supervision, of course," He chuckled. "Look, Danielle is not under my supervision. I have no right to withhold her happiness, so go on."

'_Thank you.'_

The train approached. He and I got up.

"You're not still upset about losing that battle, are you?"

'_You are right. There are more important things at stake,'_ He said. _'But when we get back home, I will have my rematch__.__'_

'Same old Gallade,' I thought.

The train zoomed in and we boarded when it came to a complete stop. The train cars were no better than the city above. We sat down in an almost empty car, as the doors closed and we started to move. Where the hell were we going? I don't know. I thought I might figure something out on the way. The people who were in the car looked at Gallade with astonishment, just as the three travelers did the night before. He looked at me for support, but I shrugged. It was the 80's, what did you expect?

There was something loud and violent going on in the other car. Must've been a mugging; none of my business, but a heroic impulse made me look up just to see what was going on. A woman was surrounded by three casual-looking guys with knives in their hands. This looked serious, and even more so when I looked down at her stomach: she was pregnant. "Oh crap!" I jumped out of my seat and crossed cars. The guys turned around and looked at me.

"I thought we told you people to stay in the other car."

I ignored him. "Are these guys bothering you?" I could tell that she was scared stiff when she didn't respond. I glared down at him. "Was that a threat? Because you're going to have to try a lot harder than that."

He attempted to cut me, but I twisted the knife out of his hand and flipped him over. His two 'friends' joined by trying the same thing. I strafed back and the blade hit the metal pole and broke from the handle. I punched him in the nose. The third guy disappeared. He had snuck up behind me and when I turned it would've been too late, but he stopped midway through the attack, his eyes bulged, and he fell to the ground, unconscious. Gallade had hit a pressure point. I needed to save his life for once, because this was becoming a nasty little habit of his. The train stopped, and the doors opened. The two guys helped their unconscious friend up and staggered out of the train.

"This isn't over!" He yelled. "We'll find you, and we will be back!"

"Yeah yeah, shut up," The doors closed again. The woman collapsed on a seat, and took a deep breath. "Are you alright?"

"Am _I_ alright? You almost got yourself killed!"

'That line never gets tiring,' We sat down next to her. "Where I'm from, thugs like those pose a bigger threat."

She shook her head. After a moment she started laughing, and I joined.

"What's a woman like you doing the subway?" I asked.

"It's the fastest way to travel in this city."

"Also the most dangerous," I replied. "I never thought it was this bad, but look at you."

She rubbed her stomach. "I know…I'm due any day. I really hope it's a girl."

"What are you going to name her, if you don't mind me asking?"

"Well, if it's a boy, then my husband and I chose Daniel. But if it's a girl, then I'll add two extra letters and make it Danielle."

I paused for a moment. What were the chances— "What's your name?"

"Amelia," She said. "Amelia Stewart. Why?"

"What in the hell?" I jumped up out of my seat. This woman that I was sitting here with was Danielle's mother! How could that…wait, pause again. It all made sense now. This was Danielle's hometown, how could I forget? And, if Danielle was 28 years old in human years in the year 2010, then 28 years in the past she would've just been born and if I hadn't stopped that conflict and had something happened to Amelia, she might have _never_ been born. I was _supposed_ to stop this. "I'm not an anomaly…I play a critical role in the timeline!"

I turned back to her. "I'm sorry about that. You just…remind me of someone."

"Really? Who?"

'Someone I'll eventually know,' I thought.

When we arrived at Amelia's destination I got off with her and offered to walk back to her house. It was a kind thing to do, and she took it lightly. We climbed the stairs to her apartment and she unlocked the door.

"Amelia," Her husband rushed over and embraced her. "Where have you been?"

"Sorry, I got held up at the market," She said. "And there was a mugging on the train—" I tried to prevent her from saying that but well, here we were. Her husband looked at her in shock.

"Mugging? Are you alright?"

"I'm fine, Mike," She said. "This man scared them off."

He looked at me, and nodded. "Thank you—it's been rough."

"Don't mention it."

"Please, can we offer you anything, mister…?" I told them my first name. "Can we offer you anything to eat or drink, Calvin?"

"Oh, no I couldn't ask you to do th—" Gallade slapped me on the back of my head. I was getting so sick and tired of this! "Yes, thank you."

The Stewarts were a very nice couple. They didn't have much, especially for the birth of their child. Nevertheless, they were free-spirited, living in this decade of chaos as if it were a paradise. As I said seven years back, they didn't blame me for Danielle's disappearance, but out of my own grief I blamed them for not doing more for her by giving up the search on her whereabouts—giving me the urge to go on in their place—and that was the last I had heard from them. Regardless of what I thought at the time, I couldn't thank them more for what they were doing for us now. They really made me appreciate what I had gained over the years. After breakfast they asked questions about Gallade, to which I answered with lies. It was nothing personal, but still. One less anomaly was better for the both of us.

"I've got to go, honey," Michael called. He was dressed in a suit. I turned to Amelia.

"He's an accountant at Silph Corporation."

"Ah," By the time Silph Co. went out of business, he had already started his own accounting firm, and I heard it was pretty successful. He picked up his briefcase, and kissed his wife goodbye.

"Stay inside for me, okay?" He asked. "It's only a few more days."

She nodded, and he left. And if I didn't know better, it was high time we got going too. "Thank you for the hospitality, Amelia, but we really have to get going."

"Oh," She sighed. "Well I can't thank you again for what you did today."

"It's not problem at all," I worked Gallade up off of the sofa. For some reason he didn't want to go. Well, I didn't either, but now that disaster was averted there was no need for us anymore. She opened the door, we said our goodbyes, and walked downstairs and out of the building. Gallade grabbed my shoulder and spun me around. "Okay, what is it, Gallade?"

'_I don't want to leave. Not yet, at least.'_

"But you saw what happened. She's in safe hands," I said. "We're not needed anymore, so we can continue our search for Celebi—"

'_Just out of curiosity, have you any idea where to begin?'_ He asked. _'A specific location we should be headed to?'_

"I haven't figured that out yet," I said. "But we're not going to do that by just sitting around."

'_Suppose we return to the future, and she's not there?'_ I could tell that in the tone of his voice, he didn't want to have to draw that conclusion_. 'What if we find out that something else happened to her after we left that jeopardized…'_ He pointed his hand at me. _'I'm holding you responsible if anything happens to her.'_

He stormed off down the street. Everything that I had built with Danielle could've been risked if something _did_ happen to her if we chose to leave now. And if her birth really did count on us being here, then I had no other choice to stay. "Gallade! Alright fine, it's your call."

We returned to Amelia's apartment and knocked on the door. She answered.

"Well, this is awkward," She chuckled. "You forgot something?"

"No," I replied. "Listen, do you mind if we stay a bit…longer?"

* * *

"Yes, play these numbers," I said to the clerk at the corner store. "650,000 dollar prize. 82, 98, 3."

"82, 98, 3?" The clerk repeated, winding around the lottery machine and finally giving me the ticket. "Are you high?"

"No, I'm not high. What kind of question is that?"

"Well it's just that…do you know how hard it is to roll those types of numbers?"

"Yep. But I'm feeling lucky." He shook his head. I glared at him and paid for the ticket.

The only reason I remember the '82 drawing is because the numbers that were actually rolled, 82, 98, and 3 were the craziest, most outrageous numbers, and yet somebody won. Not only that, ironically, the three numbers had a meaning to me, with '82 being the year of Danielle's birth, '98 being the year that I employed her, and 3, or 2003; the same year that I finally found her again. I guess going into the past was good for something, and I knew exactly what I was going to do with the money.

Amelia had started cooking when I got back up to her apartment. Gallade was happily helping. I shook my head and slipped the lottery ticket into the candy dish. "Smells great, Amelia."

"Thank you. Your friend has been a big help," Gallade turned around and smiled, but I shot him a blank look and he returned to cooking. I hoped he hadn't spilled the secrets of the restaurant—hah, who am I kidding?

The phone rang. Amelia reached for it, but I saved her the hassle. "Hello?"

"Hello, is this Amelia Stewart's residence?"

"Yes."

"May I speak to her? This is the Saffron Medical Center."

Would it kill them to say "hospital"? I gave the phone to Amelia.

"Hello…yes, this is she…my husband? What's happened to…oh my god…y-yes, I'll be there right away."

She hung up the phone and took off her cooking apron.

"What happened?"

"I don't know…Mike is in the hospital; I have to go see him."

"We'll be right behind you," I grabbed my blazer and Gallade joined me at the door.

We walked through the pitch black streets of Saffron. There was no need to take the subway again; the hospital was already in this part of town. The streets were only lit once or twice every block or two, so we stayed close until the shining lights of the hospital drew close. Even though I grew up in this era it wasn't something I wanted to live through again. There was an actual chance that I could get killed, and that could not be allowed to happen when I was so far from home. We walked inside, and doctors escorted us to Michael's room. It wasn't more than a few hours ago when he left for work, and here he was, laying in a hospital bed, head and chest wrapped up.

"What happened to him?" Amelia asked.

"He was beaten by some young men and left in an alley," The doctor replied. "He has a concussion, and two broken ribs."

"Oh my god," She covered her mouth. "Can I see him?"

"Make it quick. He has to rest."

Amelia entered the room, tears rolling down her face, and held her husband's hand. I leaned against the wall, and started thinking. Gallade glared at me.

"Okay, you were right," I said. "Is that what you wanted to hear?"

'_No.'_ He said. _'But Calvin, you know this isn't going to stop.'_

"What do you want me to do about it, Gallade?" I asked. "Seek out the people who did this? I mean how do we even know that the two attacks were connected?"

'_You've handled worse on your own, and you and I both know that this was a hit__,__'_ He said. _'At least seek out who did this.'_

"And then what?" I asked. "I could be going up against an army of these guys. You're still injured. Gallade, if either one of us get killed in this place, that's it. Not only would it ruin the timeline but a lot of other things won't exist in the future."

'_Come on, Calvin,'_ He said. _'Use your head.'_

I thought hard. I looked at the couple again. Their safety was vital to the the timeline. I sighed and looked up. "Gallade, you stay here and protect them in any way you can."

'_Where are you going?'_

I turned, and walked down the hall. "I need a thinking tool. Keep an eye on me, will you?"

* * *

Three guys were chatting amongst themselves in an alleyway down in the inner city the next day. In fact, it was the same three that I scared off of the subway. I had just come from a sports store, and I wanted to express that new aluminum "thinking tool" that I bought.

"AY!" I yelled. "You want your rematch?"

They looked at me, snickered, and walked my way. I revealed the bat. They stopped, and backed up.

"You thought it was funny attacking that guy last night, huh?"

"We don't know what you're talking about."

I nodded, and picked up a rock. "I never told anyone this, but I used to be on the baseball team when I was younger," Which was redundant now, seeing as I was in the same time frame.

"What the hell is that supposed to mean?" One guy asked.

I threw the rock up in the air, and hit it with the bat. They all flinched, but the rock didn't fly anywhere near them. Instead, it sailed through the air and through a window. What I didn't mention, was that I was the worst player on the team. That wasn't the point.

The point was, I was about to interrogate them.

I ran down the alley in the delay time and threw a punch. He stumbled back and fell into a pile of garbage. The second guy was still hurting from the day before; I merely swung the bat into the back of his leg and he tripped and fell to the ground. I turned to the smart mouth, and backed him into the wall.

"I swear, I don't know anything."

"Yeah, you do," I pushed the bat into his chest. "There's a whole group of you guys. You couldn't wait to go tell your friends after you left that train yesterday."

"Okay, I might have said some things," He confessed. I didn't even need Lugia this time. "But I didn't know they were going to go after her. I thought they were just going to get you!"

"What the hell do you have over this family?" I pressed the bat harder into his chest.

"They owe us, man," He said. "Took some money of ours, and now my superiors want it back…at all costs."

"Tell your 'superiors' that they can go to hell."

After saying this, I felt a sharp blow to the back of my head. My vision blurred, and I fell to the ground unconscious. The next time I woke up, light was being filtered through a small vent on the wall. Speaking of the walls, as my vision focused, I now found myself in a small room, tied to a chair, and wondering how I got here. Oh, right. I was knocked unconscious. To top that all off, music was resonating from another room to my left. This is exactly what I was trying to warn Gallade about and here I was, eating my own words. A door in front of me opened, and two guys came in. One was shorter than the other, with a slim build and was wearing a fancy velvet suit. The other was taller, and had a larger build. This one started cracking his knuckles.

"You must be the one messing with my boys."

"Yeah, that's me," I said. "You were looking for some money?"

He gave the other guy a nod, and he punched me in my nose. My head flew backwards, and when I recovered, and I could feel blood forming. I looked back up.

"I ask the questions. But since you know so much," He said. "I'll drop it. You've been a pain in my ass lately."

"Touching."

He nodded again, and punched me across the face. I groaned, but stayed strong. I spat some blood out of my mouth.

"Yeah, see," He continued. "You're causing me more…financial…problems than those two. So I'ma make you work it off. You're in my debt now."

"Whether I like it or not," I said. "I know the drill."

"But first, I'ma have to get rid of that attitude," He nodded one last time and left the room. I guess the music was supposed to mask my yells. This guy grabbed my shoulders, picked me and the chair up, and threw us across the room like we were paper. The chair collided with the wall and broke, and I fell to the ground in its wreckage. I worked my hands out of my restraints just as he picked me up, and I tried punching him. His head didn't even budge. Instead he punched me in the jaw, and I was blown back across the room and slid across the floor. I spat some more blood out of my mouth and got back up. I couldn't even see straight now.

"Just my luck," I mumbled. "Every punch makes him angrier!"

I tried tackling him, quickly finding out that this didn't work either. He caught me, and kneed me in the stomach. Then he wrapped his arms around my neck and flipped me over onto the ground again. God, working for that guy didn't seem so bad right now. I turned my head to one side, and saw the broken remains of a chair leg. The top of it had some screws still stuck in it. He grabbed my shirt and picked me up, and I picked up the chair leg as well. I swung the nailed part into his leg, and he yelled in pain and stumbled. I staggered around him.

"Aim for the throat!" I threw a punch, but he caught it in a blind fit of rage, and threw it, and me, down to the ground again, and tried stepping on my chest. I picked up another chair leg with the same setup, and swung it into his other leg. He yelled again and fell to his knees. "The bigger they are—"

I got up, and wrapped my arms around his neck. He grabbed at my face and tried pushing me away, but I held on and wasn't letting go. Slowly his struggle started to grow slower and slower, but were incredibly strong for someone in a headlock. Finally, after five minutes, he passed out. I let go of him, and he fell to the ground. I got up, and took deep breaths, wiping the blood from my nose. Everything in sight looked like one big swirl.

"—the harder they fall."

After I caught myself I staggered to the door, worked it open, and walked outside. Immediately I was immersed in a club of other people, mostly the guys I saw earlier, including the one just now. He spotted me, but I kept it moving. There were half naked women everywhere, handing out drinks, 'serving' the customers, and dancing. It's a good thing they cracked down on the strip clubs in this city, because I could not imagine what I would've been like had I ever went for a 'night on the town' in my adolescence.

I could hear men shouting. Some were like "FIND THAT BASTARD!" and "SHOOT HIM!" There were screams, and I could hear guns cocking. Just my luck. I pulled myself over a table just as shots were fired. I guess they weren't in need of my services anymore.

"You thought you could get away?" That guy from earlier yelled. "Come out where I can see you!"

I got up, hoping to sneak away with the crowd, but someone grabbed my blazer and threw me back across the bar, and I fell to the floor again. I covered my head as glass bottles fell all around me. Then gunshots followed. I crawled beneath the remainder of the bar, away from the gunfire, and came to a small refrigerator. I don't know how, but these things could hold back a few bullets. I pulled that medallion out of my pocket.

"Okay, I messed up!" I yelled. "I better have been given this for a reason, so help me!"

Gunshots stopped for a moment. The voices were filled with confusion, and then I could hear sounds of a fight, simultaneous groans, and it even went as far as one man being thrown over the bar, unconscious. I heard a gun cocking, and a shot was fired, and then someone fell to the ground. Footsteps approached. I backed up.

'_Need help?' _Asked Gallade.

He lent me a hand. I took it, and he pulled me up, and we supported each other.

"How did you find me?"

'_I followed you from the hospital, after that confusing remark you left me with__,_' He replied. _'I knew you were going to do something stupid.'_

"And you're always saving my ass," I said. "Where did that last shot come from?"

He pointed to the door, as a group of Saffron Police officers stormed the club. The guy in the velvet suit was lying in a pool of blood. I stood in awe.

'_It took me a while to convince them.'_

* * *

"There, Mister…?" The Doctor asked.

"Calvin."

"There you go, Calvin," He said. "You're all done."

"Thank you," I groaned and walked out of the room. My nose was broken and half of my face was blue and red, but at least those guys wouldn't be bothering Amelia and Michael anymore. Gallade and I returned to their room. "Amel…"

I stood in the doorway, in shock. Amelia was lying in a bed next to Michael's, holding a baby girl—Danielle. She had given birth while I was in the middle of the altercation at the strip club. I laughed a bit, and covered my mouth. Michael was also awake, and he was holding his wife's hand.

"Hi, Calvin," She said to me. "My god, what happened to you?"

"Long story short," I said, walking to them. "You won't have any more problems with those people. I took care of—" Gallade was getting ready to slap me. "The Saffron Police took care of it."

"Then why are you injured?"

"Oh this?" I pointed to my face. "Clumsy me, I walked right into a door—a train door. Yeah, this was from the subway."

"You're a horrible liar!" She chuckled. "Still, it doesn't look too bad. Come and see Danielle."

Gallade and I walked up to her bedside, and looked at her. She looked right back at us, with those beautiful blue eyes of hers. I could tell that she was confused from our appearances, because as always, her eyes spoke for her emotions.

"She's beautiful, Amelia," I said. "You must be a proud father, Mike."

"You know it," He replied.

I rubbed Danielle's head, and sighed. "Well Amelia, I guess this where we part."

"Thank you, for everything, Calvin," She said. "Will we see you again, sometime?"

I thought about it. "Yeah, you will. Don't act too surprised to see me; I probably won't be able to explain it," Gallade and I walked to the door. I stopped again, and remembered something. "No matter what you may think…I didn't mean it."

"Mean what?" Mike asked.

"…you'll find out," I said. "I left a little parting gift for you in the candy dish, at your house."

Gallade, having been satisfied, walked with me out of the hospital.

* * *

_Two weeks later…_

"Honey, did you get the lottery tickets like I asked you?" Amelia asked.

"Yeah, I played some good numbers," He replied, showing her three lottery tickets. He sat on the sofa and turned the TV on. Amelia was still holding Danielle in her hands as the numbers drew, quickly remembering Calvin's gift. She dug through the candy dish as Michael groaned, and threw his tickets down on the coffee table.

"82, 98, 3?" He yelled. "What the hell was that?"

"Michael, please!" She finally found what she was supposed to find. "Language…hold on," She pulled the extra lottery ticket out of the candy, and looked at it. "Honey, check this out."

She walked over to the sofa and sat down next to him. "A lottery ticket in the candy dish."

"Amelia…this is—" He looked at the TV screen, then back at the ticket. "We won…WE WON!"

"What?" She snatched the ticket from him. "Oh my god, we won!"

"Did you say "candy dish"?" He asked. She nodded. "Wasn't that where our gift was from Calvin…?"

They both looked at the ticket, back at each other, and then to Danielle.

* * *

**I won't tell you when Calvin will be getting back home, but I can tell you this: he will not end up landing on Mars!**


	14. Memoirs Of A Winthrop

We spent the next week or so in Celadon City, an even shorter walk from Saffron. We were a little tight on funds so we bought supplies with what we had left and finally decided that it was time to return to Vermilion and retrace our steps. I couldn't believe that we had just lost Celebi and was now stuck in this place. If the days were passing in this era, then they must've surely been passing in 2010. Dad should've returned from Saffron already, and was waiting for me to return, and he was probably disappointed that he could not find me.

"You know, Gallade," I said to him, as we walked along Route 6 to Vermilion. "I actually feel bad that my father didn't get to see me."

'_Yeah, well we have bigger problems.'_

"I know, but we didn't intend for this to happen," I said. "But it's nice that I managed to do something right."

'_When are you going to tell me what you did for the Stewarts?'_

"Oh, alright," I crossed my arms. "I bought a winning lottery ticket and left it in their candy dish."

Gallade stopped me. _'You what?'_

"Don't worry. I did my homework," I replied. "They were the ones who won the '82 drawing. I'm the only one who played the numbers and got them right, because as a child everyone made a big deal about it, especially dad. He spent over a hundred dollars on lottery tickets for that drawing."

'_Then what will happen to them?'_

"First of all, they'll move out of that crappy ass neighborhood and live a better, safer life," I said. "And Danielle will grow up in peace."

Gallade broke a smile, and we continued walking.

When we arrived in Vermilion that afternoon, I picked up a newspaper and began to read it. "Pokémon League seeks to outlaw Pokémon Hunting" was the headline. As I read, it said that they were only a few days away from signing the papers that would officially put an end to it all, banning pokémon hunting nationwide. Other continents would eventually follow in Kanto's footsteps until it was permanently outlawed. But midway through the process, something happened. The papers were ratified, but coincidentally, were "misplaced". If anything, before I left this era, I had to know what happened to those papers.

I closed up the newspaper and looked up the street. "Gallade!"

I pushed him into a nearby alley. _'Calvin, what's gotten into you?'_

"Look," He and I peered back out onto the street. At a market vendor, we spotted a man with a picnic basket, buying some fruits, some loaves of bread, and finally paying the clerk and departing. Except this man had a striking resemblance to myself, which is why I pushed Gallade into that alley. "It's dad," He looked over his shoulder and walked down the street, to the city limits. "Wow, that's two important people I bumped into."

'_Almost.'_

"Where's he going?" He detoured into the forest.

'_He's your father, Calvin.'_

"Well, as a kid, I remember a few months he used to leave the house a lot when he wasn't going to work. He never told us where he was going, only that he had something important to do," This could be my lucky chance to find out. "Let's go for a walk, Gallade."

* * *

Dad dipped under a tree branch, and looked back to make sure he wasn't being followed. Where he was going was for him and only him to know. We followed a good distance behind, just out of sight but not enough to lose him.

'_This is not what I meant,'_ Gallade retorted. _'You know what will happen if we're seen.'_

"I'm quite aware," I said. "That is why we _won't_ be seen. Look, he's stopping…whoa."

I pulled a branch aside and stared out at a lake. Dad sat down in the grass underneath a large oak tree and pulled an apple out of his basket and ate. He stared at the lake for a few minutes, almost as if looking at something. Well there was—a blue pokémon was calmly swimming around in the water, enjoying itself. I feared the worst when it realized it was being watched, but fortunately it wasn't because of us. It ducked beneath the surface and shot back up, twirling in the air and landing on a dime in the grass beside him. He broke into a laugh, and cut a piece of apple from his and fed it to, which was in perfect view now, a Prinplup. It looked like it had previously been engaged in some sort of battle and was very badly injured. Those injuries were now minor scabs and bruises.

'_I never knew your dad was a trainer.'_

"That's the thing—he's _not_," I replied. "He never was. Not only that, he discovered a new pokémon before anyone else. He probably didn't want me to become a trainer because of _this_. Gallade, help me out; I think they're talking."

Gallade invented this nifty trick a few years back with his psychic powers, which allowed him to amplify distant sounds and make them as clear as day from his vantage point. I listened in; it was as if I was wearing a pair of headphones, how good the sound quality was.

"You have to eat a lot to regain your strength," Dad said, feeding it.

The Prinplup then looked eager to show him something. He agreed, and it jumped back into the water. A few seconds later, it resurfaced, jumping high into the air, flipping, and performing an Ice Beam attack on the water's surface. A section froze over, and it landed on the ice. Dad laughed and applauded the performance.

We stayed for the rest of the afternoon, watching the two as they ate, had fun, and just as the sun was beginning to set, dad said his goodbyes until tomorrow, picked up his basket and left the Prinplup, who returned to a peaceful swim. We followed dad back out onto the route and back into the city, and we separated as he entered our old apartment building. Gallade and I walked up the street and towards Route 11, when I spotted myself, at a young age, chatting with a younger Nate. We harmlessly walked past them, or us.

'_Wasn't that—'_

"Yeah," I replied happily. "We had just finished our secret base, as you can see—" We were covered in mud. Mom was going to kill me for that. I chuckled. "Should've given him…me, a head's up. Come on, we have some place to stay tonight."

* * *

Gallade and I had started a campfire by the entrance of our old, or new, secret base. I pulled the medallion out of my pocket and started looking at it. It glimmered in the light from the fire.

'_What's that, Calvin?'_

"It's a parting gift from Kisaki, the Empoleon who helped me rescue Cornelia," I replied. "She said it reminded me of her old trainer, and felt I should keep it as a token of our friendship."

He nodded. I continued staring at the medallion.

We were awoken by heavy rain the next morning. If I remembered correctly, the day after we finished excavating our secret base, Nate and I were concerned that the rain would wash it out. For us, it held, but that wasn't the point. On this particular day, dad asked me what I wanted to do when I grew up, and I finally told him of my dream to become a trainer. After that, everything changed. He left the house all day and didn't come back until evening, and six years later when I brought it back up and asked him for permission, he would deny me the right. I woke Gallade up, and we both ran through the rain back into town.

"Hey look, there's—" Dad had left the apartment again, and stormed off up the street out of anger and in disbelief. "Gallade…it's best if we follow."

'Again?'

"Trust me, this is important," I said to him. "If everything happened like I remember, then I think we should follow."

* * *

_Ten minutes prior…_

Thunder crackled outside the windows of their apartment. Calvin choked on his orange juice, and started coughing. Amanda rubbed his back.

"Be careful, honey" She said. "Okay, now your father wants to ask you something."

Calvin looked up. Clayton drank his tea.

"So, Calvin," He started. "You were at my job the other day. What did you think of it?"

"It was cool!" He exclaimed. "Dad, your friends are really nice."

"Hmm," He said. "Well, before I go any further, I would just like to ask you…what do you want to be when you grow up, son?"

Calvin sighed, and stopped eating. "Well…I've always wanted…to be a trainer."

Clayton paused. Amanda looked at her son with glee.

"That's great, honey!" She kissed him on the forehead. "You're still going to have to wait a few years for your trainer card, though."

"I know," Calvin replied. "I want to wait until the moment is right. Nate said now's not a good time," Calvin looked to his father. He had stopped drinking his tea and sat at the other end of the table, shocked with his son's decision. "Dad?"

Strangely, almost two decades ago, Clayton had been asked the same question by his father, and he gave him the same answer. Now his son was doing it to him. He cringed, and looked up.

"That's…that's nice, son," He drank his tea, and got up. "Amanda, I have to go someplace important."

"Now? It's raining out."

"Yes, It's _very_ important," He kissed her on the cheek, then walked over to Calvin, smiled faintly, and rubbed his head. "My son," He then walked to the front door, put on his coat and hat, and picked out an umbrella and left his home. His thoughts were mixed—some were confused, and some were misguided, but he had one objective he had to fulfill—a self-commitment he had made so many years back, and he knew it wasn't going to end well. He opened his umbrella and scurried up the street towards the forest.

* * *

Clayton reached the lake, and looked around. He spotted his little blue friend floating on the surface of the water enjoying the weather, and he waved it over. It jumped out of the lake and they found shelter beneath the large oak tree.

"Kisaki," He said. "I…I'm sorry."

The young Prinplup had no idea what her friend was talking about. From the look on his face, she could tell that something was wrong. She would stand paralyzed in shock with his next words.

"You…you have to go."

He saw tears in her eyes. Eventually, he felt them in his.

"I made a self-commitment to myself," He continued. "And I can't let it happen again."

She nudged at his shoulder, to try and get him to explain his sudden change in attitude. He looked at her, and sighed. He cradled her in his arms one last time.

"You may never understand, but it is best if you know why," He said. "Twenty years ago…"

* * *

_September of 1962…_

"Dad…I want to become a trainer."

Clayton was speaking with his mother and father over dinner that evening. His older sister Renee shook her head; she tried talking Clayton out of it earlier, but his mind was stuck to his decision. Ironically, she already tried asking her father the same question three years back when she was his age, but she was denied. So instead she chose a different career, and was leaving for boarding school in two days.

Calvin, his father, shook his head. "No, son."

"But dad—"

"Did you even bother to look at the papers today, Clayton?" He snapped. "People are getting killed. It's too dangerous for a fourteen year-old to be traveling the country by himself."

"Dad, you've been saying that all my life," He said. "I want to explore the world, catch new pokémon. I'll make you proud."

His father looked at him again. "Clayton, I don't want you ending up in a morgue. Come and work at the lab with me."

"No, dad!" Clayton stood up. "Ever since I was a kid I've been shielded from everything! Now when I'm ready to do something that I want, you can't support me—"

"I'm not ready to lose my only son!"

The table went silent. Clayton was scared stiff, but he was willing to defend his decision.

"You _won't_," He finally said. "And I'll show you."

His father sighed, and sat back down. "Do as you wish, son. I can't stop you from being happy."

Clayton smiled, and stuck his tongue out at his sister; she rolled her eyes.

"But I am warning you for the last time," He continued. "Change your mind before you get killed. It may sound harsh, but what other way can I put it?"

Clayton never did change his mind. After his sister had left for boarding school in a distant region, He packed his clothes in his backpack and picked up his trainer card, official of the new Pokémon League. He smiled uncontrollably, and left his room. Downstairs his mother and father were waiting, almost driven to tears from his speedy departure. His mother kissed his forehead while his father placed his hand on his shoulder, and whispered a few words of good luck into his ear. After that, Clayton left his home and walked up the road to Route 6. His first stop was Pewter City.

That was five months ago.

Now, nearly a half a year into his training, Clayton had become a very formidable trainer. A Pidgeotto, a Ponyta, and a Sandslash surrounded him as he left the Celadon gym. He was four badges away from competing in a league he hardly knew, so he needed to form a powerful team strong enough to face whatever was thrown his way. Clouds formed overhead, and soon blocked out the sun as he traversed the land, headed for his next match at the Fuchsia gym. He unraveled a poorly drawn map to try and pinpoint his location. There was some serious construction going on along this route. Soon it got too dark to view even the map, but be had another source of light beside him.

"South, then east," He said to himself. "And I should see the gate. Might as well catch a water type, huh guys?"

His pokémon agreed, and they continued walking. An hour down the route, and thunder crackled through the sky. It did not rain, fortunately, sparing his Ponyta. He wished that they would've made some sort of containment system that could shield his pokémon from harm, but he could also call them out whenever he needed them. A few more years and he would've gotten his wish. Continuing their walk, they heard two men arguing loudly and spotted them. When Clayton neared, they turned and looked at him. He tried to make it clear that he was just a passer-by, and slipped past them and continued down the route.

"Hey, kid!"

Clayton stopped, and turned around. "What?"

They pulled back their jackets, revealing pistols. Clayton was intimidated at first, but remained valiant. They approached him.

"What?" He asked again.

"We're a little short on cash," They placed their hands on their guns. "You mind giving us…all of your money?"

"Yeah, I do!" Clayton got into a defensive stance.

One of the dangers his father had warned him about now challenged him for his safety. If he had known sooner that what he chose was the worst decision of his life, he would not have chosen it. He could've just given them the money and kept going. It wasn't worth risking his life. But his pride overshadowed all of his thoughts, and he was quickly engulfed in his last battle as a trainer. One by one, his three seemingly strong pokémon fell to hands of the two men, having been fatally injured by the bullet of either gun. Clayton stood there, petrified, as they finally turned the guns on him and fired. Lightning flashed through the sky as he fell to the ground, paralyzed with pain. The two men robbed him, and made off down the road, leaving him there to die. Clayton blacked out, only to wake up in a hospital bed three days later.

He had been rescued by another teenager his age, whom eventually became his wife. He wasn't looking at her for comfort; instead, as he searched the hospital room for his three pokémon, she finally broke it to him.

"I'm sorry," Amanda said. "There was nothing they could do…their wounds were just too fatal…"

He broke down in her arms. She tried comforting him, but she knew that there was nothing to do to cheer him. When he was released from the hospital in Fuchsia City three weeks later, they walked to the beach, and he threw his trainer card into the ocean. Driven to grief by the words of his father, he vowed that he would never let this happen again—for him, or his future family, and he and Amanda returned to Vermilion City.

* * *

"I wasn't supposed to let this happen," Clayton said. "I'm so sorry, Kisaki."

The rain had stopped. Clayton got up, dug into his pocket, and pulled out a crystalline medallion.

"Don't forget me," He said, giving it to her. "Keep this to remember me by."

A young Kisaki stared at the medallion, closed her eyes, and walked off into the forest. Clayton felt as if he had punished her for a wrongdoing. He slid to the ground again and let his head rest against the trunk of the tree. Across the lake and out of sight, Gallade and Calvin were watching. Calvin shook his head and stormed off back into town.

* * *

I found solace ad the edge of the sea. My mind had mixed thoughts over what I just heard. I looked at Kisaki's medallion as her words echoed through my head.

"_That human that I mentioned before…he gave it to me the last time I saw him. I don't know why I've held on to it for all these years; I was so angry when we parted…"_

She was the Prinplup all this time, and he was supposedly the trainer! When he sent her on her way, she must've swam the distance to the Arctic Circle, and evolved and worked her way to "Queen" over the 28-year time lapse. I stuffed the medallion back into my pocket, and crossed my arms. Dad was, in fact, a trainer. He lied to me so I wouldn't ask for his advice…because honestly he didn't have any good advice. His dreams turned to nightmares when he lost his team that he didn't want to see that happen to me. All these years I thought he wanted to keep me from fulfilling my dreams. I closed my eyes.

"I'm such an idiot!"

'_Yeah, you are,'_ Gallade said, joining me. _'But you're the idiot who made a stand.'_

"All for what?" I asked. "What if I had ended up like dad did? I was so eager to become a trainer that I didn't stop to realize that it was too dangerous."

'_Being a trainer is not a walk in the park, Calvin,'_ Gallade replied. _'Just think of what could've happened if you hadn't made that choice. The restaurant, Molly…me…Danielle…'_

"Emelina," I said. "I forgot; I met her while I was a trainer."

'_See?'_

I sighed. "No wonder he didn't support me. He thought he was going to lose me," I shook my head. "I've had enough of this town. Let's keep moving."

'_So are you saying you 'hate' Vermilion City?'_

I looked at him in awe. "Hell no."

We continued back through the city. I don't know if it was just me, but I had the strangest feeling that we were being watched…


	15. Drastic Measures

The hunters' Scyther landed in front of us, and was in the process of beheading Calvin again when Gallade pushed us out of the way, and took the hit. He countered with his razor sharp arms and picked the Scyther up and threw him against a tree. This was all too much to take in at one time, and I covered my eyes.

"Hand her over," The hunter called. "Or we will kill you."

"Oh come on," Calvin groaned. "Is that the best you got?"

"Have it your way. Magmortar!"

"Gallade!"

The two launched their attacks. I broke free of Calvin's grip and stood between them just as the attacks collided, and summoned a spell—a spell that would get us out of here, and fast. But the residual force from the two attacks placed everything in a blur, and I think I might have cast the wrong spell. I felt myself falling to the ground, or hopefully back into Calvin's arms, but instead a cold feeling soon washed over me, and my body was thrown around violently as if I were in the middle of a torrent. I finally figured out that I was in water and when I tried pulling myself up, the waves sucked me down under. Daylight slowly faded into a distant glimmer as my last breath of air escaped my lungs.

* * *

Three days had passed, and the forest was quiet and tranquil once again. That was soon disturbed when a massive flock of Pidgey took to the skies from their nests in the trees. There was something large approaching, which was portrayed by the large group of pokémon hunters. They were attacking the yellow streak that was trying to lose them. It skidded to a halt at the base of a mountain. Other than using its sharp claws as tools of defense, they also made great for climbing vertical faces. It backed up, and then ran towards the wall, digging its claws into the rock and climbing quickly.

"Charizard, Flamethrower!"

The only down side to this, was that it couldn't defend himself. As it climbed, the Charizard launched its attack, burning its fur and eventually his skin. The pain was too excruciating to keep hold to the wall, and it started to slide back down the surface, eventually losing its grip on the wall and falling to the ground with a painful rash. The group of pokémon hunters started to approach it.

"So," Their leader started. "This is the famous legendary beast of thunder…ours for the picking."

What this group hadn't realized, is that he had been through this situation on numerous accounts. His eyes shot open, and he unleashed a wave of electricity that blew everyone back, paralyzing them. He took on the Charizard as it attempted to launch another Flamethrower, countering with Thunder. The attacks collided and whipped up smoke, and as the Charizard tried blowing it away with its massive wings, Raikou escaped to the forest.

Raikou ran for miles, making sure he had lost the hunters and then stopped to rest by a river. His burn pained him uncontrollably, but it was meaningless compared to past injuries. He drank some water, and then sat to rest, observing his surroundings. He narrowed his eyes to get a better look at the figure across the river to see if he was dreaming or not. Indeed, he wasn't, and jumped the entire width of the river and walked up to the Celebi, having been washed up from parts unknown. He nudged at her body, but the she did not respond. He thought quickly for a moment, summoning a small jolt of electricity. He placed his paw on her chest, and the current surged into her, and seconds later, she was coughing the water out of her lungs. He sighed in relief. Her eyes slowly started to open, and she stared at her savior, jumping back out of fright.

"Oh, you scared me!" Celebi exclaimed. "Hello, Raikou!"

He exhaled sharply, but did not respond. Celebi had known Raikou to be a very reserved person, but it had been years since he started opening up. A response like this from him generally meant that he was not in the mood. She tried flying, but her powers gave out on her. Raikou caught on to her ailment fast and knelt down. She crawled onto his head.

"Thank you," She said. "I was attacked by pokémon hunters."

"Same here."

"Humans were supposed to restrict them from doing this," Celebi spotted his wound. "Oh no…you're hurt."

"I'll live," He replied. "You can't trust a human to do anything right."

* * *

Hours turned into days, and days turned into weeks, as the two of us traversed Kanto, covering our tracks to make sure we weren't hunted anymore. When all was clear, we sought shelter from the rain in a small cave, and when he finished making sure that I was safe, Raikou went out to find some food and didn't come back for some time. He remained adamant with all my tries to talk with him. It was as if we had never met…and then it finally clicked: what if we _did_ never meet? I conjured up a spell to see where I was, and the timeline flashed before my eyes. It read 0409221984—Wednesday, September 22nd, 1982. I gasped.

Instead of summoning a teleportation spell, I must've summoned a time traveling spell instead!

Returned with a patch of berries. "Celebi, what's wrong?"

"Is it true?" I asked. "Is it…1982?"

"Yes, it is."

"Oh no, this was not supposed to happen!" I cried. "Raikou…I'm not from this time."

"That explains why you assume you know me," He said. "Where are you from?"

"I'm from 2010," I replied. "But that's not the worst part. I must've brought Calvin here too!"

"Calvin?" He asked. "Wait, that's a human name…and it would explain the scent that you're covered in."

The water had no effect on the electrically-charged nose that Raikou had, but I was positive that I was misleading him. "Raikou, wait—"

"It's okay, Celebi, I'll find him," He said. "It shouldn't be too hard."

"I think you are confused," I said. "He _helped_ me."

"All for his personal gain!" Raikou snapped "I would never believe something like that!"

"Raikou, wait!" He turned and dashed out of the cave and into the forest. "Oh no…Calvin!"

* * *

Raikou ran across Kanto through the stormy weather, seeking out Calvin's scent. The weather was no match for his nose, in which he could track the location of any scent. This led him to the port city of Vermilion, and as he neared the town he climbed a tree, then the roof of a house, and then finally the roof of a high rise, until he was jumping from roof to roof disappearing with every flash of thunder. As he neared the sea, the scent stopped, and seemed to go in circles, and then leave town to the east. He followed it, but this only lead him out to the route and stopped abruptly. He stopped to think for a moment, and as the rain stopped, the scent grew strong yet again, and he dashed back into town and spotted who he was looking for. He jumped to the roof a high rise and watched carefully. This was supposedly Calvin, and the pokémon standing next to him, although vaguely familiar to Raikou, was his only line of defense. The two left town, and just as Raikou was getting ready to strike the two seemed to catch on to his presence. Calvin looked around, but did not pursue it.

'Not what I would consider pokémon hunter,' Raikou thought. 'But I'll have my way soon enough.'

* * *

_Present-day, 1982…_

Gallade's anger was emanating through his powers. I looked at him that afternoon, as we walked along Route 22, nearing the Indigo Plateau.

"Gallade?"

'_What?'_ He asked sourly.

"What's your problem?"

He looked at me as if I wanted to get hit. I backed off.

'_I want to go home.'_

"Oh, come on, Gallade," I said. "So do I, but we're not going to get anywhere by complaining."

'_So then we've basically given up on searching for Celebi?'_ He asked.

"I didn't say that," I replied. "I just want to see what happened to those papers, which would've outlawed Pokémon Hunting."

'_Why does it matter?'_

"Well, if I found out what happened, maybe we could do something about it in our time," I said. "I don't want to change anything; if I remember correctly, that would affect Millie and Serena's pasts."

He sighed. 'Whatever. '

"Besides, do you remember that river we were by then the pokémon hunters attacked us?" He nodded. "I believe Celebi might have fallen into it and was swept away by the current. I took a look at the Kanto map on my way out of Viridian. That _same_ river passes somewhere by this area," He looked at me in surprise. "See? I'd never let you down."

'_Calvin, you never cease to amaze me.'_

That same feeling came back—like we were being watched. Now I know how Molly must've felt when Bane tried to capture Latias. I looked around, but there was nothing but serenity in this vile era. Birds sung, and breeze blew; unfortunately out of all that there wasn't a soul as to whom I could pin this to. I sighed and continued walking. The Indigo Plateau was in sight. Despite what everyone thought, past the main Pokémon League headquarters, there was a small village where they hosted the Kanto festivals. In I remember as a kid, we used to go to these festivals and have a pretty good time. There were some good things that I missed when I was a child.

Reporters were staked-out, outside the main entry to the building. They were desperate, as most of the civilians should have been, to know the ultimatum. As we joined the crowd, Agatha walked through the doors of the building, and reporters rushed in. We neared the crowd to hear the interview more fluently. Agatha's voice, even from my distance, was quite loud for someone so…never mind.

"What we plan to ensure," She started. "Is that the safety of the wildlife of Kanto is preserved for generations to come. Passing this law will help crack down on those who wish to tamper with that preservation."

"How will this help the police forces in the other cities?" A reporter asked.

"Not only will it increase morale, but as a new law it will ensure that the criminals are punished for their wrongdoings," I felt where she was coming from on that note. "I can guarantee that in 15 years, this will be a thing of the past."

I shook my head. She was criticized heavily for this miscalculated time frame seeing as the papers went missing, but on the bright side things did improve substantially, driving pokémon hunting underground. Gallade and I stayed for a few more minutes out of interest and then we left, on our way to find that river. I doubted that Celebi would float this far away from Route 6 but it didn't hurt to check. Besides, it wasn't like time was running out.

_'So what did happen to those papers?'_ Gallade asked.

"They say "misplaced"," I replied. "What it really means, is that "they can't find them, but the law is still active". Without any proof of that, Gallade, it meant that they couldn't legally arrest pokémon hunters, and that's why it's gone on this long. The scare paralyzed their operations, at least, but in the eyes of some, including me, that's not enough."

_'You still mad about what your father did?'_

"I don't think "mad" is the word, in this case," I replied. "I have mixed feelings. If I had known all of this, then yeah, it probably would've hurt my spirit to train, but I still would've gone. Like I said before: could you picture me in a lab coat?" He chuckled. "Gallade, you check east, up the river. I'll check down this way."

* * *

Raikou followed the duo from Vermilion, across the countryside, and through a shortcut in the forest where he almost lost them, but regained their scent in Viridian City. He followed in their footsteps, to the Pokémon League headquarters a half a mile up the route, where they stopped in a crowd of people Raikou remained vigilant and out of sight. The crowd was listening to a middle-aged woman with a boastful voice as she proposed the end to the thing Raikou was on the run from. This pleased him, but not so much when Calvin shook his head and parted from the crowd. Raikou assumed that he was not pleased with the turn of events, and growled silently under his breath. The two then made their way to the outskirts of the village and towards a river.

"They are nearing our hideout!" Raikou summoned clouds—large, vicious storm clouds, to mask up his ambush. With a little jolt of thunder, the sky was its own natural storm. Raikou smirked, and went after the now separated duo. His first step was to immobilize the one he called "Gallade". He had heard of his species, but only briefly and with no description. Raikou snuck up on the humanoid pokémon, attempting to pin him down in the rain, but Gallade anticipated his lunge and blocked with both of his arms. Raikou bit on his arms, but only briefly, as they sharpened rapidly. He jumped back.

"Raikou!" Gallade exclaimed. "What are you doing?"

"You know me?" He asked. "From another time, perhaps…you're not welcome here! And I will not let you harm Celebi any further!"

His walk progressed into a run, and he jumped through the air and tried to bite Gallade. In defense, Gallade raised his arms and Raikou bit into these instead, soon being repelled by him. Raikou summoned electricity, and shot it at Gallade but he jumped out of danger and over Raikou, and kicked up some mud to dampen his impending attack. The mud washed over Raikou's fur, dampening his electricity, and sending him into a fit of pain. Frustrated, he shook off most of the mud and got an idea, and summoned another bolt of lightning and just as Gallade jumped, he fired it into the mud. When Gallade landed on the other side he realized that he'd fallen into a trap, but was too late to react. Raikou simply touched him with his paw, sending paralyzing waves of electricity through his body. Gallade tipped over, and fell to the ground as stiff as a board. Raikou smirked.

"One down, one to go."

* * *

I whistled to try and keep a good mood, but the thunder was omnipresent. Oddly enough, I don't remember rain ever being on the forecast today—though I could be wrong; this was the peak of Kanto's rainy season. Once again, I was stuck in the rain without an umbrella, and up the creek without a paddle—literally.

_'Calvin? Please tell me that that's you!'_

"Wait, I recognize that voice…Celebi!" I called back. "Celebi, where are you?"

_'I'm in a cave nearby, please hurry!'_ I hopped across some rocks in the river and got to the other side. There was, indeed, a cave. I walked inside just as a downpour ensued. Celebi was eating a berry from a patch. I picked her up.

"I thought you were in danger."

'I'm glad to see you too!' She exclaimed happily. 'But we must leave. A Raikou is after you. Wait, where's your Gallade?'

"He went out to…and we…aw, crap!" I buttoned up my blazer and ran back out into the rain, still holding Celebi, and looked up and down the river. "GALLADE!" There was no response. There was a flash of lightning, and it felt as if this one had struck the ground not too far behind me. You know what they say; lightning doesn't strike the same place twice.

Well, this lightning was growling.

I looked down at her, and sighed. "You just _had_ to teleport us to the 80's didn't you?" She turned red with guilt. "What is he so mad at me for, anyway?"

'Um…he thinks you might be…a pokémon hunter.'

I shook my head, in utter disbelief. Assuming he wanted me to release her, I placed Celebi under a tree in safety, and then I backed away to try and show him that I meant no harm. Raikou went to acknowledge Celebi, and then turned back to me. I didn't understand why he would think I was a pokémon hunter until he lunged at me, tackling me clear across the river and into the mud on the other side. Celebi screamed and begged him to stop, but he wasn't listening. I looked up, as he cleared the river and got ready for round two. I got up and tried to run but he anticipated this too, and shocked me with some electricity. I yelled, as the electricity hit every nerve in my body, numbing my muscles and causing me to fall to the ground again. Raikou walked up to me, turned me over, and pinned me down with his paws I looked up at him.

"Raikou, wait!" He roared, and got ready to bite me with his fangs.


	16. Reconciliation

**This was all supposed to be part of the previous chapter, but it ended up being exceptionally long, so I divided it, so that the name fits the second half. Enjoy reading.**

* * *

_"Calvin,"_ Celebi whined. _"Come on! Please tell me what happened between you and Raikou!"_

"I can't, Celebi!" I replied. "It's a secret."

I walked up to Celebi's shrine in the Ilex Forest. I let her go, and she floated up to the roof of the shrine, and sat down. 'You're so mean to me!'

"Look, when Raikou is ready to tell you, then he will!" I said. "You're his best friend; it's only a matter of time."

She sighed. _"Alright, fine. Thanks for the walk back home."_

"No problem. It is my thanks to you, for returning us to 2010."

Our little adventure wasn't over just yet. Now that I knew what happened to those papers, 'misplaced' by a series of events instigated by our doings, it was time to make some amends to the timeline once and for all. I reflected on Raikou's little secret, quite happy that it was what saved my life…kind of.

* * *

"You're a vegetarian!"

Raikou stopped, utterly in shock. I looked at him and grinned.

"Yeah that's right, I know that; You confided in me," I said. "In the future, we're actually good friends and I'm _not_ a pokémon hunter!"

He groaned and backed up, but I decided to play with this a little bit. "But I'm not too pleased with your behavior. Why don't I go tell Celebi that you—AAH!" He pinned me to the ground again, and started roaring at me. "Alright, alright! We're even!"

He exhaled sharply and walked across me, and back to the river. I painfully got up, and shook my head.

"Hey!" I yelled. "Where's Gallade?"

Eventually, when I did find Gallade, he was paralyzed to some extent, combined with his injury, but after Raikou stopped the rain, we spent a few days recovering in the cave until Celebi, Gallade and I were at full strength. Celebi nestled herself in my arms and Raikou led us down the river towards civilization, and then we finally said our goodbyes—for now—and he darted off into the forest, in the direction of Johto. It was high time he returned to his own home, and that went the same for us.

"Celebi, what's today?" I asked curiously.

_"The 26th,"_ She replied, taking a quick peek at the timeline. _"Why?"_

"My dad," I said, deplorably. "I was supposed to meet with him over four weeks ago. And I know so much more now…I really wished I could've spoken to him."

_"I see."_

A bridge up ahead had collapsed recently, most likely due to the typhoon that Raikou had summoned. I shrugged it off at the time, but then eventually, up the road, the gravel was laced with tire tracks, as if there had been a large event here. When I asked Celebi about what had been carried out, she scanned through the timeline again and explained to me, that an important looking individual, holding a briefcase, had had a tragic accident here on his way to the Pokémon League. The tire tracks must've been those of an ambulance, but what were the odds?

"Oh, crap."

She looked up. _"What's wrong?"_

"September 28th, 1982," I said. "This is the day they ratified the law on pokémon hunting!"

_"So?"_

"_So_, they never got the documents!" Celebi floated into the air and looked back at me, with her small hands clasped over her mouth. "The storm caused the bridge to buckle, the individual was crossing the bridge when it collapsed, and the documents were never signed! Celebi! The papers—the law—it must've been _in_ the briefcase that he had! And I'm guessing that he lost it down the river in the chaos!"

She shrieked. _"Calvin! We have to find that briefcase!"_

"We can't; the law has been ratified already," I said. "And even if we did, we can't change history, remember?"

_"The best we can do is return home,"_ She said. _"Calvin, please promise me that you'll straighten this matter out? I don't want to go through this again; you might not be there to rescue me again."_

I smiled. "I promise."

* * *

Celebi set us a few days before we left for mom and dad's, so that we might've be able to fix this mess before we ever got a chance to meet. Instead of going to Goldenrod, Azalea was much closer, and was one of the very few cities in which we could find an antique store. Gallade and I hurried into town and found our destination by the seaside. This antique store had been here since I was still a trainer and on my second visit in 2002, when looking for Molly and Danielle. I didn't actually enter, since it would've proved useless in both cases, but it might've held something that I could use now.

"Hello!" The owner exclaimed. "How may I help ya?"

"Yeah," We walked up to the counter. "You wouldn't happen to have a map of Kanto on you?"

"Yes I do," He pointed to the wall. I walked up to the map and looked at it, but it had been simplified for the trainers in 2000. "You were looking for anything in particular?"

"No, this map won't help," I replied, and then answered his question. "I'm looking for an "S"-shaped river that runs from Route 6 across to the Indigo Plateau."

"Ah," He slipped into the back of the store. We heard strange noises as he searched for our request, and then re-emerged five minutes later and unraveled the old map on the counter. "Here you go. This one dates back to around 1978."

"That'll do," The river stuck out like a sore thumb, and I followed it with my finger, back across the map as it passed Saffron and Celadon, turned north towards Cerulean and then left towards Pewter, passed under Route 2 and flowed straight to the Indigo Plateau. After that, it joined another river, and the now larger body continued downwards across the map, and that's where it ended. The river continued to Johto but only briefly, by ending in a lake outside Cherrygrove City. It would take months to search the river from the Indigo Plateau to Cherrygrove. "Do you know anything about this river?"

Let me see here," He put on a pair of glasses and looked at the map. "Ah! That's the Cerulean River. Wow…that brings back so many memories of my childhood."

"I know what you mean," I said. "For the last two weeks, it almost felt like I was reliving mine," Gallade nudged my shoulder. I shrugged.

"My friends and I used to go swimming in this river, and it was a nasty one on Cerulean during the rainy season," He continued. "I still go swimming to this day but not in the Cerulean, since they put that dam up…"

I looked up at him. "Dam?"

"Yeah," He replied. "Indigo Dam. They built it in 1981."

"I don't remember that."

"It wasn't a tourist attraction!" He chuckled. "It was just meant to do its purpose."

I was going out on a limb with this next question. "Do you suppose they catch a lot of…'garbage'?"

"From activists, environmentalists, the whole nine," He replied. "They catch the stuff they find and store 'em if they're worth keeping. Otherwise, it's off to the dump."

"Oh, this is great!" I rolled up the map. "Do you mind if I keep this? A friend of mine might like it."

"Sure thing; it's on me!"

* * *

"A 28 year-old briefcase, you say?" The dam's manager asked. "Kind of precise, don't you think?"

Another fortnight and we were back at the Indigo Plateau. I would go on about how things have changed, but I was in a rush, both out of excitement and for closure. The Indigo Dam stood as if it were new, just down the river and in front a large body of water. The road parted from the river and came up at the entrance below the reservoir, upon which we entered and went directly to the manager's office. He looked at us with surprise.

"Yes," I confessed. "I know it sounds stupid, but—"

"No, that's the first time someone's asked for that briefcase!" He exclaimed. "Does it mean something to you?"

"Let's just put it this way," I said, leaning on his desk. "Its contents were supposed to end something _big_. Can I borrow your office phone for a minute?"

He gave a dam worker the keys to the lost and found warehouse. Everything that was caught in the dam's turbines from the year it was built until now had been stored in the warehouse, and in chronological order, as per orders of the police and government. I used the manager's office phone to call the Pokémon League about "something they've been waiting decades to finish", and within the hour, Agatha herself, accompanied by three other officials, joined us in the office. Besides now having to use a cane, she still sported a boastful voice and a strong demeanor. When she set eyes on me, her eyes flared with glee.

"Well! If it isn't Calvin Winthrop!" She cried. "Ah, I still remember your battle, young man!"

_"__She knows you?"_ Gallade asked.

"Vividly, apparently."

"Gentlemen," She said, to the other officials. "You may calm yourselves; this is a past champion."

The dam worker returned with the briefcase. He set it on the table, and I ushered everyone to gather around as I clicked it open, revealing a small comb, some pencils, and a stack of papers. I picked them up. The writing had long since faded, but was still completely legible.

"What is all of this?" She asked.

"These," I said. "Are the papers pertaining to the Pokémon Hunting law."

"You're joking!" I showed her the very top page. "I was told that it had been lost down the river!"

"That may be," I continued. "However the Cerulean runs directly into the water table for the Indigo Dam. Once there, it was sucked into the dam's turbines and was salvaged as a lost and found item. This briefcase is, or _was_, new. In 1982 they lined newer briefcases with rubber to protect the contents from water damage, which came in handy here."

"Oh, this is such a breakthrough!" I packed the papers into the briefcase again and handed it to one of her officials. "You know, when we proposed the end of this in 1982 I thought that the hunters had something to do with it. Who would have thought it was just by chance that they were misplaced?"

"By chance…yeah."

She turned around, and prepared to leave. "Calvin, would you mind joining us at the headquarters for a moment? We really must get this over with. But mind you, this must be kept on…"the down-low", as my granddaughter says."

"Granddaughter?" I asked, curiously.

Leaving the dam, we returned to the League headquarters and got matters settled. With a few re-explanations, the entire building was on edge from excitement. We all sat down and reviewed what we could read, and then had the papers renewed to a 2010 format. Agatha signed the paper and took a deep breath; it looked like she had been holding that for 28 years. She passed the pen to me and asked if I would sign. Honestly, I was surprised, but it was in part, due to me that this law was now officially ratified. I happily signed the paper, and looked at it; I never thought I would be doing this. And after a quick celebration and a check of the time, we had to leave. If we hurried, like Celebi explained, we would meet up with the timeline about thirty minutes after we left for the past.

* * *

The sun was setting the next afternoon, on the day I was supposed to meet with dad—Friday, August 27th, 2010—exactly where I was supposed to be. I walked back to the estate, now holding a six-pack of beer, and met Nate still relaxing in the gazebo. He glanced at my reappearance.

"Hey! Calvin!" He jumped up. "For me? Thanks!"

"No!" I stopped him. "This is for dad. _This_ is for you."

I gave him the map. This fascinated him more than the beer, and he snatched it from me. "Kanto, 1978! Where did you get this from, Cal'?"

"Antique store," I replied. "I thought you might like it. Where's dad?" He pointed inside, unraveling the map and staring at it. I walked inside—inside where? This place was huge! "Dad?" I called; my voice echoed. ECHOED! "You wanted to talk?"

Mom and dad emerged from…one of the rooms on the right. Mom smiled, and so did dad, kind of. Nate walked past me and hugged her, while shaking hands with him. I guess it was time for him to go.

"Sorry I can't stay any longer, Cal'," He said. "Director needs me. But thanks a lot for the map, man,"

"No problem. Oh, and tell Ms. Ra that she's a bad liar," He looked at me, astonished. "Don't worry; she'll know what it means."

"Alright, man," We knuckle-touched. "Hey, where's Gallade?"

"Oh, he had something to take care of, so I let him go," He chuckled, and walked to the front door. I turned back to mom and dad. "Hey, dad…I bought some beer."

He smiled. "A true father-son moment is when his son actually buys the beer."

"Yeah," I chuckled. "We can't talk and not enjoy it, right? Besides, I thought I might ask you a few questions," I dug into my pocket.

"Like what?"

"Hmm…I don't know," I showed him the medallion. All the joy and happiness from him had now diminished. "Maybe…Kisaki? Your _training_?"

* * *

Dad sat on the patio, drinking his beer while mom interrogated me. I understand why he kept it secret, but I wasn't going at him the wrong way; I just wanted him to talk about it. She nudged me in the chest.

"How could you do that to him?"

"Mom, it's alright!" I said. "I know that you two meant to keep it secret because…well, it's not something he wants to talk about, I know. But I have a different approach."

"Really?"

I asked her to watch, while I pulled up a chair and opened a beer. I looked at dad, who was staring at the sunset. I sighed and opened my beer.

"Dad, I realize what you did was for my good," I started. "I realize that _now_! But going 22 years without talking to me? Don't you think that was a _little_ extreme?"

"You never called!"

"I was kind of mad by what you said to me," I fired back. "If had known what I know now, or," I looked at him. "If you _told_ me, then we'd be straight. Dad…you were the victim of a crime and you lost your spirit to train."

He didn't respond.

"If you thought for one second that that was going to happen to me—"

"See, that's what I was waiting for!" He said. "You're not indestructible, Calvin! A single bullet can end you! You had no idea what it was like out there!"

"And I was willing to take that risk!" I said. "If I fell on my ass, then you were right! But I wasn't going to spend the rest of my life doing something that would make me miserable!"

I sat back. "I met Emelina during my training, do you know that? That was the first link in a chain of events that led to where I am now. Do you think you would've had the thrill of being a trainer if you didn't pursue it?"

He looked at me.

"Yeah, I know grandpa did the same thing you did," I said, drinking my beer. "Now that I think of it…thank god I had a daughter."

He sighed. "I suppose you're right. Amanda was the outcome of that decision."

I nodded. "Cheers?"

He looked at me for a while, smiled, and our bottles touched. Mom came over, happy that we made up.

"But I just have to know," I said. "Why didn't you call?"

He mumbled something.

"Dad, I can't hear you."

"I was…" He mumbled the rest, and sighed.

"Dad, come on," I groaned. "It's not that serious!"

"He was envious, Calvin," Mom said, rubbing his shoulders. The beer almost came through my nose, how much I wanted to laugh. I got up, and took a deep breath. "He was in envy that you made a living off of what you did during your training, and didn't know how to confront you."

"What?"

He jumped to his feet. "Calvin! It's not funny!"

"All these years, I thought you cut me off!" I laughed. "Look around you, dad! What can you be jealous about?"

"I realize now how petty it sounds," He replied. "It…it put you through an extent of emotional distress. But it was my dream!"

"Dad," I sighed. "I think I'm going to like this new relationship," I put down my beer and gave him a hug. He joined, rubbing my head. "Oh, and if you ever want to see Kisaki, she's in the Southern Arctic Circle."

"You asked for those images, yes," He looked at me. "How did you know she was there?"

"I didn't," I said, sitting back down. "I just so happened to find her and she gave me this for good luck—now dad," I raised my voice in anticipation of his question. "One day, I'll give you a better reason, but for now I honestly can't tell you."

He backed off. "As long as it isn't on the wrong side of the law; you're a grown man. I can't tell you what to do."

"Say, Calvin," Mom called. "What happened to your tall friend…Gallade, right?"

I reflected on that for a moment.

* * *

The group of pokémon hunters had lost their prize, and had returned to their underground headquarters back in Saffron. It was a cool, breezy night, and at the top of a nearby skyscraper, a Scyther looked out at the city. That's when he realized that he was not alone, and turned around as a Gallade jumped to his roof—the same one he fought earlier today. He smirked.

"Back for more?"

Gallade narrowed his eyes, and his arms extended to twice their length. "Tell me something. Do you believe in a fair match?"

"You want me to go easy on you?," He and Gallade circled each other. His blades glimmered in the moonlight. "My mark still burns fresh on you."

Gallade looked at his wound. What this Scyther hadn't realized is that the wound had had plenty of time to heal since their last encounter. "Good enough!"

They jumped into the night sky as their blades clashed.

* * *

Dad had taken a substantial amount of off time from work, so I decided to stay a while to catch up. After Gallade returned we spent a few weeks in this lavish lifestyle. Finally, returning to the 28th of September, I called Molly to let her know that we were finally on our way home, but no one answered the phone. From the time I started calling her in August to now she had answered our calls, but today. Naturally, I called three more times, but there was still no answer. "Molly? Listen, when you get this message, I'm on my way back. I hope you and Matthew have made up by now; it's been more than…four weeks." After hanging up, I got dressed and we said our goodbyes, for now, and left my hometown on a ferry en route to Alto Mare. For some reason, and I say this out of shock, the ferry was barely occupied. I started to unravel Gallade's bandages and to my surprise, his wound had finished healing. Gallade didn't know recovery…or did he?

'Then again, four weeks of hell and four weeks of luxury did wonders,' I thought. "By the way, Gallade, how did your rematch go?"

_"That's a need-to-know."_

"And I don't, huh?" He nodded. "You got your ass kicked, didn't you?"

_"You better be joking,"_ He growled.

"Okay! Fine, you won."

_"Nope,"_ He said. _"He recognized me as a true challenger."_

"Oh, how sweet!" I said, sarcastically. "Maybe we can set up dates like this once a—" He jabbed me in the stomach. I squinted, and fell to the deck in pain. "I was just joking, damn!"

_"So was I,"_ He grinned. I helped myself up onto the railing.

"Look…I'm just excited, that's all," I said, walking with him to the front of the ferry. "Oh, I can't wait to go home…and sleep in my own bed. You?"

He smiled. _"You know already."_

Danielle, of course. I checked my watch. Alto Mare should've been in sight now. I took off to the front of the ship, expecting to see the beautiful ancient skyline of my home. Instead, that skyline was ridiculed with thick smoke clouds, and I could smell the wood burning from here. The ferry reversed its engines, and we came to a complete stop. I looked up at the captain.

"What's going on?"

"Listen!" He turned up his radio. "You're not going to believe this, but Alto Mare is under attack!"

"Molly," The last time she didn't answer the house phone, Latios passed away. So if she didn't answer the phone now and this was happening…

I was brought back to my senses when a Salamence roared above us. On it, a man was riding. He ordered the Salamence to use Hyper Beam on the ferry. The captain put the engines in full reverse to avoid the attack, but it was too late, cutting directly through the middle of the ship. If I remembered correctly, these newer ferries were powered by diesel fuel.

"ABANDON SHIP!"

* * *

The ship exploded, taking all of its occupants with it. Frankie rubbed his Salamence's head. "These fools gotta learn when they don't listen, eh? Let's head back!" He and his Salamence turned back to the city, to continue wreaking their havoc. The remnants of the ship sank into the ocean, leaving what floated. Boards flew helplessly around in the water, slowly separating from the wreckage until all was quiet. Then a hand emerged from the water, followed by two more, until all of the survivors were accounted for. An inflatable boat was deployed, and they got on. Calvin stuck his head out of the water.

"Is everyone all right?" They nodded, in one way or another. "Captain, call rescue. Tell them to come for you, but do _not_ come anywhere near the city. We don't want that happening again."

"Right!" He pulled a satellite phone out of his pocket.

Calvin looked back at the burning city. A strong defense that destroyed all vessels that wandered too near. Whatever was going on was to be kept within city limits. It looked like someone wanted badly to keep this quiet while he looked for something…or someone.

"Morgan," Calvin mumbled.

* * *

**This is the beginning of, where everything starts heading downhill. No disappoints from now till the end, so continue reading and hope for the best!**


	17. Confessions

_24 hours prior…_

It was a slow day at the Alto Mare Academy of Art. With the new semester Molly got a new schedule, and she now had Mr. Mancini first thing in the morning, and a double period of Mrs. Giordano's cooking class last, meaning that she now had a lot more time to cook as she pleased. Finally, with the last period amongst her, she sat through Mrs. Giordano's class, absent-mindedly writing down notes from her lecture during the first period, and then baked an apple pie with the last. Mrs. Giordano looked at her with interest, 'examining' a slice.

"Molly, do you bake when under stress?" She asked her, after class. "Because this pie is exquisite!"

"Thank you, but I'm not stressed."

"Molly, I spoke to Marquis already," Molly stared at her curiously. "You know…Mr. Mancini. I took a look at the drawing you turned in to him earlier this year, and, might I say, you were expressing signs of stress, even well into the brush strokes."

She scoffed. "How can he see all of that, huh? It's just a drawing."

"Aha. Just as he anticipated: you're in denial," Molly crossed her arms. "Is your father out of town again?"

"Yeah, he went to see grandma and grandpa, and he's been staying with them for a while."

"He tends to disappear a lot, but that's none of my business," She said. "Molly, is there anything you want to talk about…with your favorite teacher?"

"No…no, stop!" Molly couldn't resist laughing when she stuck out her lower lip. "Alright, alright! I'll talk. You know, you're much cooler than I thought, Mrs. Giordano."

"I have three girls, Molly," She said. "So?"

"Um, where do I begin…" She pulled up a chair and sat down. "Mrs. Giordano, have you ever had to deal with a boy? You know like if…if you ever found something out about him that you couldn't stand?"

She chuckled, and showed Molly her wedding ring. "I'm married, Molly. I'll admit though, at your age I've had those types of problems. One guy I used to date—he was annoying, and sometimes a little disrespectful, and his father hated me," That was what she was looking for. "Well, eventually he became Mr. Giordano."

Molly started to smile. "Really?"

"Of course," She replied. "Love is everlasting. When you meet the right person, you'll know. If you love him, and he loves you, even the worst of backgrounds can't overcome how you two feel about one another."

"Wow, that's deep," Molly said. "Well, thanks Mrs. Giordano, but I think it's time I started heading home."

"Okay then, Molly," They both got up, and she walked her to the door. "Say hello to Matthew for me, when you get a chance."

She gasped. "I wasn't talking about—"

"Yes you were."

Her face flared with embarrassment. She sighed, and walked out into the hallway. Almost immediately following the doorway, Matthew was leaning against the wall, eyes closed, waiting for her. She could tell that he was either sleeping, or he had heard the entire conversation. She tapped at his shoulder and found out that he was indeed, sleeping.

"Molly…hey."

"Hey," She said. "Do you mind…walking with me home?"

"No, not at all," They left school and walked back into the city.

They spent boardwalk after boardwalk, canal after canal, walking in an awkward silence. Molly and Matthew were walking alongside each other; she held some of her books and he had his hands in his pocket. She felt like she accused him of committing a crime and felt guilty treating him that way.

"Matt, I—"

"Molly, I—"

They both stopped.

"You first," She said.

"…I'm sorry, Molly."

"Of what?"

"Of…_whatever_ I did, or didn't do, that's causing you to act like this," He replied. "If I can't see it, then you have to tell me."

"It's not my fault," She said in defense. "I…I can't explain it. It's not you, it's…"

"What?"

"It's me, Matt. I…I just don't know what to do anymore; what to think, what to say…I just need to be alone…" She explained.

Matt couldn't say anything. She could see tears begin to swell up in his eyes with guilt.

"So…you're not going to say _anything_?" Matt coughed lightly with tears; his face was turning red with anguish. Tension was starting to grow between them.

"Molly, I just…I don't know how else to tell you how sorry I am… I just want you to forgive me…" He explained. She began choke up; she couldn't bear to see him cry.

"Matt, I don't know how to break this to you; I really don't," His eyes slowly started to flare, knowing what was coming next. "But things between us are different. We're not as close as we used to be; you've changed dramatically through my eyes, and…and I have to do what makes me happy… I'm sorry but there's just no way we can be together anymore…I'm sorry, Matt…" Immediately after she said that, he walked away, grabbing his hair in frustration. At that point, she knew she had broken him; what was supposed to be a normal conversation escalated into something that drove them further apart.

* * *

Matthew dragged himself home, letting his hair cover his face. He didn't want anyone to see his cheeks, which had become the new pathway for his tears. It started to drizzle, as he neared his home.

'How could I let this happen?' He thought. 'How could I have been so…so careless?' He kicked a rock; with each word the kick became harder and harder, until he kicked the rock at full strength, sending it flying into the canal.

The rain began to pick up as he entered his house; his clothes were drenched from the subsequent rainwater. When he got inside, he completely bypassed his mother, and made a beeline straight up to his room; Caitlyn scolded him for walking through the house with wet shoes. He didn't care. Nothing anyone could say would change the way he felt.

Once in his room, he dried himself, changed, and fell face-first onto his bed. He drove his head into his pillow and let out all the air in his lungs with one loud yell.

"IT'S NOT FAIR!" Matt screamed through the pillow, into the bed, through the bed, and into the floor. He turned onto his back and let the tears run down the sides of his face. His eyes were now bloodshot red. The pain of losing Molly was excruciating; so deep even, that it physically drained him. As the last tears dripped off the brim of his nose, he turned himself over again, pulled a sheet over him and drifted off into an uneasy sleep, with Molly's words still ravaging his brain.

Matthew tossed and turned, through his long slumber. His conscience could sense the presence of another, and it was not sitting well with him. Hours passed. Once the rain stopped, the sun disappeared from the sky and the stars were beginning to glitter the dark blue roof over the world. Although he was asleep, he could feel the presence of a man standing over him. The man was rather tall, about 6'2", and did not look very intimidating, at first glance. He had on a blue suit, pale white skin, and he looked to be in his late forties.

_"__Matthew, my son, wake up."_ The man uttered; his voice sounding so profound, that it immediately shook Matthew from his slumber. Matthew sat up and made out the silhouette of the exact same man, standing in the center of his room. He flicked the switch to turn on the overhead light, and saw the man whom he thought to be dead. It was him, none other than his father, the long lost Ely Morgan.

Matthew's heart almost jumped out of his throat when he spotted his dad standing in his room. Ely stood there, with a blank expression, staring back at his son. Matthew was frantic, hyperventilating, and backed into the headboard of his bed. He looked for words to say, but they couldn't roll off of his tongue.

"Wh-wha—what the—aren't you supp—I-I THOUGHT YOU WERE DEAD!" Matthew exclaimed; his voice filled with fear and anxiety.

"Only half." Ely replied, with conviction. He stood in the same spot.

"But it's been…it's been—"

"11 years? Yes, I know." He took a seat on the edge of Matthew's bed and looked around. He scanned the room, looking at furniture, the pictures, and the posters. "I love what you've done with the place."

"How the hell are you still alive?" Matt asked. His voice was trembling.

His father only sighed. "I was _never_ dead. I've just…been away."

"Doing what?" Matt demanded.

Morgan sighed again. "I'll tell you," He began. Matt was now standing, and he offered his son a seat once more. Matthew took up his offer and sat down. Ely sighed, and revved up for his story. "12 years back, I was on Cinnabar Island looking for a pokémon—this pokémon was described by my fellow colleagues to have immeasurable amounts of power. I _had_ to have it, for it would put our research on the map and give us the boost we needed. I had already searched the plains of Kanto, the mountains of Sinnoh, and even the tropical waters of Hoenn, but I had no such luck of finding the creature.

"But there was someone else," He continued. "A wanderer, from Kanto, who, I had guessed, had been searching for the creature as well. He had a terrible aura about him—he just reeked of all sorts of evil and destruction. I thought terrible things when I came across this wanderer, but he seemed to have been modest. He asked me what it was, that I was looking for. I made the mistake of telling him, and he instantly turned on me. The minute I turned my back, he struck me over the head with a heavy object and attempted to rob me. I could not defend myself and he continued to pummel me."

"You were mugged just for a pokémon?"

"…you have no idea how valuable that pokémon was," His father replied. "Continuing, he began to reach for the pokéballs in my pocket. Without them I could not continue my research, so naturally I fought back. When I rose, there stood that wanderer, holding his own pokéballs. He had a sinister smile on his face, and offered me a deal: that we battle our pokémon to the death over the capture of said pokémon. I could not refuse; that was my whole career. He thrust his pokéball onto the earth and out of it came a Blaziken. I called upon my trusted Infernape. It had never failed me before…and sadly, I was mistaken. The minute I commanded for my Infernape to perform an attack my opponent's Blaziken already had breathed a column of a flame so intense, that it even scarred my left arm," He showed Matt the extended burns on his left arm, which had only healed partially over the years. "Once the flames cleared, my Infernape lay there in a heap of its own demise…he had served his purpose, though it wasn't much of one."

"He helped save your life," Matthew said, hotly. "You should be thankful."

His father scoffed, and continued his story. "Next I had called upon my next trusted companion, my Dewgong. He would definitely have an advantage over his Blaziken, but, I was mistaken again; that wanderer and his Blaziken; they were too much. And he was waiting…the wanderer…he was waiting for my Dewgong to fall, as he was preparing to order his Blaziken into a terrible striking pose. I knew that he was getting ready to kill her. I watched my Dewgong in desperation. He ordered his attack, and the Blaziken's fists began to glow, and with such impeccable speed, he punched my Dewgong with a force strong enough to rattle the earth. In less than a second, my Dewgong was projected towards me. The pain was excruciating, and on top of it all, the wanderer had won, obliterating my chance at ever obtaining this pokémon."

"Why are you telling me all of this?" Matthew asked.

"I want you to gain a clearer image of my actions before you judge them," He replied. "It was wrong, what I did to you and your mother, but you must let me finish."

Matthew hesitated, but slowly nodded.

"…I had blacked out for what had appeared to be 5 hours and when I awoke, it was twilight. My Dewgong was alive, barely, but very well unconscious. And my Infernape, although in its pokéball, was in serious danger of dying. I had to get them to the nearest pokémon center—they were literally knocking on death's door. My children, my best friends, were about to die. I hiked with basically no strength, determined to save their lives. The Cinnabar pokémon center was deep within the city, and as I limped around town, with inhabitants and tourists gazing upon me, I finally reached the pokémon center, and I immediately gave the doctors my pokémon and commanded them to save them. They took my Infernape and Dewgong into intensive care. They wouldn't let me see what was going on, but I could see through the doors that they had my Infernape on a respirator and were using a defibrillator on my Dewgong. It was a painful sight. I couldn't bear to watch, or even fathom the thought of my pokémon being dead. They have been such great warriors."

"I didn't know they put pokémon on respirators," Matthew said nonchalantly, provoking his father. "Sorry…continue."

"After about 3 hours, one of the head doctors came out to speak with me. He told me my Infernape was going to make a full recovery, but due to prolonged efforts, my Dewgong wasn't going to make it, and…" Ely choked up on this, but pushed forward. "He said that my Infernape's fur would fully grow back in due time. Normally the fur wouldn't burn, much less ignite, when exposed to a fellow fire-type attack, so that's how I knew that that Blaziken was something out of the ordinary."

"I'll say…"

"It just ate at me…how he managed to defeat the toughest that I had to offer. I had to know what made that Blaziken so strong, and that's when I stumbled across a blood sample that had been extracted from my Dewgong's skin for defibrillation purposes. After my Infernape was discharged from the pokémon center, I returned home, and this you remember," Matthew nodded. "And I started to study this blood sample. My research led me to the conclusion that the DNA of this Blaziken matched the traits of Human DNA by 78 percent, which led me to the utmost conclusion that instead of looking for this pokémon…I had stumbled upon it instead!"

"I remember this," Matt said. "This was the research that was eating at you. Mom and I couldn't stand it, because you were at the lab almost all the time."

"But I _did_ find my answer," He said, finally turning to Matthew. "And I was given a job by some of the most elite scientists in the world," He showed Matthew a company card: on it, was a large gold "G". Matthew instantly knew what that meant, and looked at his father with disapproval. "Do not scrutinize me, Matthew."

"How can't I?" He asked, voice rising. "All these years, and you couldn't even tell us that you were alive? We held your funeral; we buried you, we…" Matt couldn't go on, and his eyes watered once more. Ely wrapped his arms around him.

"I came to look for someone, and other than explaining my actions," He ran his hand through his son's hair. "I need you to help me look for him. Calvin Winthrop. Do you know him?"

"Yeah," Matthew said. "He lives eight doors down. Wait, why?"

"Excellent," His father stood up, ignoring his question. "Thank you, Matthew, I have…something to settle with him."

"Wait, he _knows_ you?" Matthew fought back his anger, now trying to decide who to point the blame at. "Dad, what are you going to do?"

"Calm yourself, Matthew," He replied. "Besides, he has told you what he knows about me, hasn't he?"

"No, he hasn't said a word…we didn't even know that you were alive!" Matt exclaimed.

Ely spun around in disbelief and approached Matthew as if he was going to kill him. "He _what_?" He shouted, with the sternest voice. Matthew began to retreat.

"I-I don't know what you're talking about!" He said, trembling with fear. "Mr. Winthrop didn't tell us anything! This is the only time I've heard about you in 11 years!"

"…HE WAS BLUFFING!" Morgan screamed. He picked up his coat, and stormed out of Matthew's room, most likely en route to Calvin's home. Matthew ran after him.

"Dad, what are you going to do?" He yelled. "Dad!"

"Matthew, is everything alright?" His mother asked, emerging from her room. "You've been making strange sounds all night…were you having a nightmare?" Matthew looked down the stairs, but his father was gone. He had to go and alert Calvin before his father did something harsh.

But then he stopped. Calvin was half of the reason they were mourning for so long. On top of that, Molly didn't want to have anything to do with him. Now parted on a decision, he stood in the middle of the hallway, trying to decide whether or not to help them. He clenched his hair, pressed his back against the wall, and slid to the ground.


	18. Divided, We Fall

I stuck my head out of the water. There was very little space to breathe, but luckily I'd made it easier for myself. The wooden boards above me had recently been replaced.

"Gallade," He surfaced, making breathing all the more difficult. "This is it."

He nodded, and struck his hand through the floorboards. I wound him, cutting a circular hole in the boards, and we slowly lowered it out of place. This would be the second time replacing these boards, but it was not a concern at the moment. I climbed up into the restaurant. I helped Gallade up, and we looked around. The place had been ransacked; the front windows were shattered, tables and chairs were damaged and the walls had been scarred, as if there had been a terrific battle here. I walked around, confused and spirit broken. Gallade put his hand on my shoulder. Whoa, back up. I looked through the windows again. This was the only building on the street that had taken significant damage. Someone looked to retreat here, and brought the battle with them. Most preferably, some of interest and someone who knew the restaurant well.

"Molly!" I called. "Danielle!" This brought back strange and haunting memories. I heard a soft reply, and ran over in the direction of the voice. It came from under a broken table. I pushed it aside to find Danielle, cut and bruised. "Danielle!" I picked her up, and sat her down on a chair. "What happened?"

_"__I-I don't know!"_ She cried. _"I remember working late last night and then all of a sudden the glass shattered, and these people came rushing in. I tried fighting them off, but…there were too many—I'm so sorry, Calvin."_

"No no no, it's not your fault," I looked at Gallade. He went ahead and aided Danielle. The attackers were deliberately sent to my restaurant. And who did I know, that wanted so bad to get rid of me?

I turned around. "Gallade, take Danielle upstairs and stay with her until I get back. I'm going to the house."

_"__Calvin,"_ She grabbed my arm. _"Be careful…I don't know what's happening, but I thought I could hear…explosions earlier."_

"You don't have to worry about me," I held her hand. She nodded, and I walked to the doors.

People were running. I could hear screams in the distance. Thick patches of smoke and ash blended well with the fog and overcast. The city was in chaos, and I didn't even know why. It was clear that Danielle had no idea where Molly was and if I were her, I would be in the safety of my house.

Unfortunately, I wasn't her.

* * *

The house remained unscathed. I opted to unlock the door, but it was already open. I flashed back seven years. "Not again!" I ran through the house, calling out for Molly and expecting a speedy response, but none were heard. I burst into my room and miraculously, the sword was still on its stand. I sighed in relief, picked it up and strapped it to my back. Then, immediately after doing so, I heard something approaching from behind me. I spun around, and just barely spotted a shadow out in the hall. "Molly?" There was still no response. I hastily followed, praying that it was her and not an intruder. "Molly come on! We don't have time for this!"

I ran back into the hallway, but this time, deep cuts appeared in the walls. This couldn't have been Molly's doing; it had to be an intruder. I unsheathed the sword and took a defensive stance while approaching the stairs. I looked down and spotted a Seviper in the living room, turning up furniture in search of something. No one was here, so what could it possibly be looking for?

It stopped, shouted "all clear", and a Houndoom, followed by a purple-haired woman, entered my house.

"Morgan, he's not here," She said into her watch, with a thick accent. "Although, it looks as if someone has come through recently."

I hoisted myself over the bannister and lowered myself to the first floor. You know, I was incredibly fit for a guy who hardly worked out. I snuck into the kitchen and decided to call the restaurant to see how Danielle and Gallade were doing. Something rustled in the pantry.

"Oh no, not again," I probably forgot about Shaymin again and he was eating out my inventory. "This isn't the right time!"

I opened the door and to my surprise, it was Codie instead. She sat in the back of the pantry, clinging to Shaymin's injured body and almost screamed when she saw me. I hushed her and closed the door behind me.

"Codie what happened?"

"I gave him the Graceidea, and he just…transformed!" Shaymin was in his Sky Forme. "But soon after that they attacked your restaurant—they held them off while I ran back here."  
"Wait. _They_?"

She nodded. "Shaymin and Ms. Stewart. I-Is she all right?"

As long as Danielle didn't ask, I wouldn't tell; the secret was still safe, but Shaymin… "What happened to him?"

"I don't know," She cried. "He came back here, injured, and I was too scared to go outside. But then, he fell asleep a few hours ago and now he won't wake up!"

"Hold on, Codie," I said "Follow me."

I led her out of the pantry and out onto the terrace. She looked to the people in the living room and became more terrified, but we continued. Ivy had grown up the side of the house and I was supposed to cut it down, but it would prove useful for now. I hoisted Codie high enough and she climbed towards the roof with Shaymin in her arm. I started up as well, but unfortunately I was too heavy and the ivy broke from the side of the house and I fell back to the terrace. Codie made it up, but now I had to find another route up to her.

"Dammit," I got up, and walked back into the kitchen. "Hang on Shaymin, I—AAH!" That Houndoom: he obviously heard my fall and bit into my ankle and pulled me off my feet. Then he dragged me across the hall and into the living room, and threw me over the coffee table. I groaned and looked up. That same purple-haired woman was sitting in the sofa, drinking a cup of tea.

"Classy," I got up. "What are you doing in my house?"

"Looking for you, of course," She replied. "Dr. Morgan is quite astounded that you've resisted him for so long and came to pay you a visit."

"He came to Alto Mare to 'pay me a visit'?" I'll return the favor. I turned towards the door when I felt a sharp jab to my stomach, and it was like the air had been sucked out of my lungs. I doubled over in pain. She shook her head, and checked her watch.

"I've acquired Winthrop, sir."

"Excellent," Morgan's voice buzzed. "Kill him."

She smirked. "What's the rush, Calvin? The party has only begun."

Her Houndoom jumped up onto the table. I tried stalling her.

"So…what exactly is Morgan doing?" I asked, still gripping my stomach. "Did he come to shop?"

"No, he's looking for someone—you, most preferably. I honestly don't know what," She replied. "But he made it clear that no one will stop him from accomplishing that. Not even you."

"Well, I can see that," I said. "Did he finally catch on to my bluff?"

"What are you talking about?"

"He has a son," She stopped drinking her tea. "And a wife—they both live here," She looked at me curiously. "What, he never told you?"

"No, unfortunately," She replied. "But I think you're trying to buy yourself time."

My jaw almost dropped. There went my recovery plan. She sent her Houndoom after me, which nearly bit my nose if I hadn't dove out of the way. I got up, and scrambled to the stairway, but it caught a hold of my pants leg, and started pulling me back down. I kicked him away and ran up the stairs. That was probably worse than being bitten by him. A deranged look appeared on the Houndoom's face and he took a deep breath, as a fireball appeared in his mouth.

"No, not in the house," He shot the fireball at me. "NO!"

I dove for cover as the fireball hit the ceiling, sending cinders everywhere. I pulled the fire extinguisher from the wall and tried putting it out. That Houndoom rounded the corner and tried hitting me with another fireball, but I turned the fire extinguisher on him, extinguishing his ability to battle. Next, came the Seviper and its master, who witnessed their companion's predicament and sought revenge. I threw the fire extinguisher to the ground and ran down the hallway. I had to get to the roof and join Codie, and the only way to do that was through the attic. She yelled with anger and ordered her Seviper to kill me and just as pulled down the latch, it jabbed the edge of its tail into my leg. I got my leg free and ran into the attic, retracting the stairs.

There were a few old boxes in the attic and a desk where I crafted Molly's star, but it wasn't a room Just a few vents, rafters, and two windows. I pushed open one window, and looked out. The roof was directly above me "Codie, can you hear me?"

"Yeah!" She looked down. "Mr. Winthrop, where are you?"

"In the attic," I replied. "I'll be with you in a SEC—" Retracting the attic door didn't last long, and I was yanked back through the window. I hit the wall hard, and slid to the ground. I opened my eyes again just to block the fangs of the Seviper. "Just great…like I didn't have to put up with this enough!"

I kicked him off of me and ran for the window, when he wrapped his tail around my stomach, and swung me into the wall. Then, from the wall to the floor, and finally, throwing me upwards and letting me go. The power was enough to send me crashing through the ceiling and out onto the roof, where I landed and rolled over.

"Mr. Winthrop!" Codie called. "Oh my god…are you okay?"

"No, Codie, I just got thrown through my roof!" I caught my breath, and struggled to my feet. "Give me a sec," With a couple of twists, my bones slipped back into place. I took a deep breath, and looked around. "We need to find the others—" The Seviper stuck its head out of the hole. "Time to go!"

We ran, jumping the short distance from rooftop to rooftop, while another joined the chase: that guy and his Salamence, from earlier. He ordered a flamethrower from the beast, and he launched the ray of fire at us, burning some of the roof equipment. Wood and debris flew everywhere, but we continued running. The great thing about these buildings is that they were tightly clustered together, and made for elevated sidewalks in the event of an emergency. The only problem—there was an impassable gap between the buildings every time a street passed below, and we quickly approached one of those gaps and skid to a halt. I looked down around, and spotted Staraptor flying through the air a couple of minutes away. I whistled to him and he heard; Codie gripped the edge of my blazer as our enemies drew closer.

"Codie, climb onto my back," She did as she was told. "Hold on tight, and trust me," I stepped back onto the parapet of the building. He and his Salamence landed on the roof, and approached us. he looked at me and laughed.

"Be careful, old man," He snickered. "You might actually fall."

"Old," I mumbled. "I guess that makes two of us," I gracefully fell backwards and off the parapet. Once out of sight, I spun around, and landed on Staraptor's back. I covered Codie's mouth so she'd stop screaming in my ear. "Staraptor, head for the museum. I have a feeling that the others might be there."

He nodded, and banked in that direction.

* * *

Bianca was planning to join her grandfather at the museum that morning. It was not like all mornings, however; the sky did not compliment her mood. She got prepared anyway, and just as she stepped outside, the fresh smell of wood, burning, entered her nostrils. She looked around, as the screaming voices and the distant, muffled explosions rang in her ears. She tried contacting Latias through her thoughts, but there was no response. That was one of the first times in years that her friend hadn't replied, and she quickly became anxious.

"Grandpa will have an answer," She said, leaving her home and running off towards the museum.

She hurried across the city, passing crowds of people running frantically, in fear, from what looked like a large scorpion which she identified on sight, as a Drapion. Running alongside it, was a white-haired woman, wearing red sunglasses and dressed in a black jumpsuit, with a large gold "G" imprinted across her chest. She called off her Drapion, and glanced at Bianca, which was the only one who hadn't started running like she ordered the rest of the crowd to do. "Looks like we have some resistance!"

"Who are you?" Bianca asked, standing her ground, as her enemies drew ever closer.

"Me? They call me Metta," She tapped the brim of her glasses, and a split second later, Bianca stood there, horrified, as she stared at an identical version of herself. "But as far as you're concerned…I'm _you_."

The two circled each other; Bianca had to get a better look at her doppelgänger, but was also trying to escape to safety. Metta grinned, and ordered her Drapion to attack. Bianca ducked for cover, and ran for safety.

She ran as fast as she could, slipping into one of the many alleys, searching for an escape from this bestial killer. The Drapion tried to strike her with the tip of its tail, but she was able to dodge them beforehand. She could feel the animal gaining on her, or was that her fatigue kicking in? Either way, she was running herself into a predicament, possibly death, because her path had run its course.

The Drapion had made incredibly strong attempts to impale Bianca through the spine. She caught glimpses of this and immediately dove to her right and pressed herself against a wall. The Drapion missed and lost its balance, with its tail flying astray and falling towards her. She jumped out of the incoming path of the stingers and fell to the ground. The Drapion's tail had become lodged in the wall of the adjacent building and wasn't budging. It was flailing, kicking, and screaming, trying helplessly to free its extra limb. Bianca took notice of this and began to plot her escape, but no matter where she turned, there was nowhere else to run. The only refuge…was into the canal, at the bottom of the alley. She peeked over the edge. It didn't look overly shallow, but the drop was very steep.

'I can't jump; the fall could kill me,' She thought to herself. 'Then again…' That decision was made for her when the Drapion finally freed its tail from the wall and plotted its course for her.

Bianca's heart began to race, as the Drapion approached her with full force. Without thinking, she jumped off the ledge, rather dying by drowning than by murder. The Drapion didn't jump in with her; it stood over by ledge and watched her fall, roaring in frustration. It felt like hours, how long she was falling, until she felt the rush of the canal, overwhelming her.

Metta caught up with her companion, and peered over the edge of the alley. "Looks like she chose to drown," She calmed her Drapion and turned back toward the street. "I have a feeling that she was heading to the museum, and with her out of the way, I'll blend right in. Let's go."

The canal grew peaceful again, as the two departed. Bianca's fate was unknown, and the current presumably dragged her lifeless body across the city.

* * *

Calvin and Codie arrived at the museum, and jumped off of Staraptor's back. Once he put Codie down, the world around him began to spin. He rubbed his head, and caught his balance.

"Mr. Winthrop, are you okay?"

"I'm fine," He replied. "Whew, must be a…adrenaline rush."

The museum was being used a safe house for hundreds, if not thousands, of Alto Marians. They trekked through the chaos; people were shouting, some were crying, and others, probably the largest majority, wanted to know what was going on. Lorenzo was at the very back of the atrium, speaking to a couple of police officers. Out of all of this, Calvin could not find Bianca, nor Molly or Matthew. He turned back to Staraptor. "Star, they're not here. I need you to regroup with the others, and make sure they make it back here safely, alright?" He nodded, and took to the sky, through a skylight in the ceiling. Calvin and Codie then approached Lorenzo and the police officers. "Hello."

"Ah, Calvin," He introduced Calvin to the police officers. "Officers, this is Calvin Winthrop—he's a restaurant owner. He should be able to help your investigation."

"Yes, as I recall, Mr. Winthrop, the one called 'Dr. Morgan' asked for you," The officer-in-charge said, now interrogating Calvin. "Tell me…how does he know you?"

"I've had a run-in with him in the past," He replied. "Well, multiple run-ins."

"Hmm…and sir, just why exactly are you wearing that sword?" Calvin sighed.

"It's a family heirloom," He explained. "And it's valuable, so why not wear it?"

The officer gazed at Calvin, with death in his eyes. "This is not a joke, Mr. Winthrop," Calvin replied with a blank stare. The officer scoffed, and wrote this down in a notepad and bid Lorenzo goodbye, and he and the other officers left the museum. Lorenzo then turned to Calvin.

"There's a fine line between right and wrong, Calvin."

"I happen to be on the good side of that line, Lorenzo," He said in defense. "But look at all these people…displaced from their homes—their lives."

"So I assume you know the man behind this?" Lorenzo asked. Calvin's world began to spin again, and he rubbed his eyes.

"Dr. Ely Morgan," He said weakly; the first all day. "He's here…with a team of other people…I assume, under his command. He's looking for someone…most likely his son, Matthew."

"Matthew _Morgan_?" Lorenzo exclaimed, bewildered. "That young gentleman I saw Molly with…is this man's son?"

Calvin nodded. "I found that out…earlier this year, and I…I expected him to visit his son…but not attack the city."

"Come, we must discuss this further," He said, gesturing them to follow him. "I have an office on the second floor."

"Yes, that will…be…" Calvin suddenly lost balance and collapsed. Codie screamed.

"Mr. Winthrop!" She knelt down and nudged at him. "What's wrong?"

"I…I don't know," He muttered. "I feel…so weak…"

"Look there!" Lorenzo pointed to his leg, which had started to bleed rapidly. She pulled up the edge of his pants and covered her eyes when she spotted a deep cut in his ankle. "Calvin, something has attacked you!"

"A…Seviper…there was one in my house," He said, before falling unconscious. Lorenzo helped him up, spotting Bianca across the crowd. He called her over and they helped him up to his office. Codie noticed something unusual about Bianca. She immediately dismissed it as insignificant, but the white bow in her hair was misplaced. Knocking her back into focus, Shaymin twitched, and she unzipped her jacket to check on him. He was awake, but barely.

"Don't worry, help is on the way," She whispered to him, and followed the others.

* * *

"Will he be alright?" Codie asked the doctor late that evening.

"He will," The doctor replied. "He's very lucky—it only looks as if he was stabbed for a short period of time. Seviper venom is known to be lethal after long periods of injection. Just glad I was in the building."

"Not on your own account," He and Lorenzo shared a laugh. "Let me show you back downstairs."

Lorenzo walked the doctor to the door. Bianca rubbed Codie's shoulder.

"Codie, why don't you go and get something to eat?" She asked. "You look hungry."

"I am, but the thing is…I don't want to leave Mr. Winthrop," She replied. "He's done so much for me, so I should return the favor, right?"

Bianca nodded. "Don't worry, I'll be here."

Codie felt uneasy leaving him here, with her, especially with her earlier suspicions, but her hunger outweighed her concern, and she scurried downstairs in search of a vending machine. She found, instead, that the museum sported its own kitchen, which, in normal cases, was used to prepare meals for special ceremonies and galas, and approached it. It was packed with refugees, and this discouraged her a bit, but she stood patiently in line anyway.

_"Codie…"_

"Hm?" She looked around. "Who said that?"

_"C-Codie, it's me…"_ She looked down at her talking companion, which had long since reverted to normal.

"Shaymin, you can speak?" She whispered in excitement. "Wow this is so amazing…oh, sorry…are you alright?"

_"I will be. But Calvin won't."_

"No, the doctor said he'll be fine," She started to gain suspicious looks, and parted from the line and returned to the atrium. "He's just sleeping it off—"

_"No, that girl!"_ He cried. _"She's no good!"_

"I knew it!" She looked around for Lorenzo and spotted him walking towards the stairs. "Mr. Lorenzo, do you mind me asking who that girl was, upstairs, with Mr. Winthrop?"

"Oh, that's my granddaughter, Bianca," He replied. "Why?"

"Um," She scratched her head. "It's kinda hard for me to explain, but—"

"Hey guys."

Codie and Lorenzo looked up, as two new and familiar faces joined them.

* * *

"Calvin," Bianca chanted, pulling a dagger out of her pocket. "It's time for you to die."


	19. United, We Stand

**Two new chapters today. It's been very cloudy these last few days, so it adds a bit to the weather in the story. Enjoy reading!**

* * *

"Mr. Winthrop!" Matthew yelled, rapping on his front door that same morning. He had finally come to his senses and realized that his father proved the bigger threat. However, that still didn't stop him from wanting to know why Calvin didn't tell him or his mother that his father was alive. The door was answered instead, by Molly, who looked at Matthew with frustration.

"What is it?"

"Molly, did my dad come over here at any time last night?" He asked. Her eyes widened.

"I…I thought your father…was dead."

"No, he's alive!" He exclaimed frantically. "He came to visit me last night and when I told him about your dad—"

"You _what_?" She pulled him inside and shut the door. "Matthew, why would you do something like that?"

His eyes narrowed in suspicion. "You know more than you're telling me."

Molly's facial expression changed, from fear to guilt, and she turned and walked back down the hall. "Molly!" She stopped.

"Alright, we knew!" She said, spinning around. "Is that what you wanted to hear?"

"Why didn't you tell us, maybe?" Matthew asked angrily. "He's my father, Molly! Even if the man lied about his death, I still deserved to know something like this!"

"…you don't get it, do you?" She asked. "Matthew, your father used you to get to _my_ father! He's not here; he's not even in the city! Do you know what your father's going to do because of that?"

"What, you're supposed to be the expert on my father now?" He asked, infuriated. "Okay then, you tell me! You tell me, what he's been doing for the last eleven years. You already lied about knowing him."

"Yes, I'd fancy that story, Molly."

Molly completely forgot about Matthew, as the sudden voice sent a chill up her spine. Morgan strolled out of the kitchen, picking his teeth with a toothpick and looked at Matthew. "He's not here…Molly, where's your father?"

"He's not in town," Molly said, turning around. "What are you doing in our house?"

"Well, I was looking for your father of course," He replied. "And then I figured: why not just ask you?" He looked up at Matthew, and then back to Molly. "You two know each other, I presume?"

"Dad, what's going on?" Matthew asked, walking past Molly. "What do you want with Mr. Winthrop?"

His father strolled past him as if he didn't hear. "You will find out in time, my son."

"Dad, that's not good enough!" He yelled, causing him to stop again.

He smirked, and continued walking. Matthew clenched his fists.

"You see?" Molly said, approaching him. "He didn't care about you, Matthew. I don't know what he was like when you were seven years old, but that's…that's not your father anymore."

He turned to her. "How do you know so much about him?"

"He…" She closed her eyes. "He did something to me."

At that moment, Matthew thought over his father's research, and came to a conclusion, but that only lasted for the moment; for his father sent in a man, wearing a sleeveless jacket with a golden "G" imprinted on the side, dark pants, and attached to his belt were two black pokéballs. Matthew looked at Molly for support, but she had none to sustain him. His father wanted the both of them to stay quiet—one way or another. They backed up and out onto the boardwalk as he released his two pokémon.

"Bane."

"Molly!" He exclaimed. "I'm actually surprised to see you, considering the way we left you back in Johto."

He looked at his Infernape with disappointment, but he was ready to please his master this time, no doubt. Molly turned to Matthew. "Go and get Serena and Cora. You'll need them."

"What are you going to do?" He asked. "What did he mean by that?"

"Don't worry about it. Just go."

Matt nodded, and ran back to his house, leaving Molly with the three. He unlocked his door, bypassed his mother again, and called for his two pokémon. They came rushing to his aid, and he made for the front door again when she stopped him. "Matthew…we need to talk."

"Now's not a good time, mom—"

"Oh, really?" She asked, angrily. "Then explain to me why I just saw your father pass the front window?"

"I…" All of a sudden the front glass shattered, and a Toxicroak jumped through, and attempted to strike him. "Serena!" She whipped it with the edge of her tail, and it went flying into the living room. Caitlyn and Matthew made a beeline for the front door. Bane, Molly, and his Infernape had disappeared, possibly leading them away from danger. Matthew knew what he had to do, and led his mother in the direction of a safe house. They ran up onto the street and towards her store; the sky was starting to fill with pitch black smoke and the smell of wood, burning. His father was causing more damage, all for what gain?

"Mom, stay here," He said, showing her into the store. "I have to go look for Molly. Serena, you stay here and keep mom some company."

"Matthew, what is going on?" She asked. "What is your father doing?"

"He's looking for Mr. Winthrop," He replied. "I don't know why, but that's all he seems to be focused on. Molly could be in trouble too."

She sighed. "You're concerned about her more than yourself. You two are going to make a great couple someday."

Matthew didn't have time to ponder that, and heard his mother shout one last "be careful!" as he and Cora re-emerged onto the street. His heart began to race, and his eardrums rang with the sound of distant explosions, and people screaming. This was all happening too fast for him, and he had so many questions that needed answering—a majority of them for his father, who was the cause of all this. He cut across the street and slipped into an alley, knowing just a small fraction of the city's maze-like layout. As he emerged to another street, he skid to a halt in front of a crowd: they were all looking up at something, and when Matthew joined them, he stood as they did, in shock, as the city's guardian fought relentlessly against some other pokémon with an identical build. It was wearing heavy armor, and was proving victorious in their battle.

"This is insane…" Matthew was knocked back to his senses when the crowd around him began to run away in fear. Approaching them was a purple-haired woman and a Seviper, looking twice as furious as he did. Matt then attempted to join the crowd, when he was jabbed in the stomach by the Toxicroak. He fell to his knees, wrapping his arms around himself in pain.

"Well well! What do we have here?" The woman cried. "You look up to the challenge, boy! What say you?" Matthew couldn't speak, and only uttered a small groan. "Fancy that!"

Cora stood in a defensive stance as the Seviper circled her, but Matthew knew that this was a dead end battle. He tried getting up, but the Toxicroak prevented, jabbing him in the side. Matthew rolled over, and yelled in agony. They set her up for defeat, or worse, and he was supposed to watch!

"Cora!" He yelled weakly. "Don't…don't do this!"

"She doesn't have a choice," The woman said, laughing. "It's either you or her. Seviper!"

He nodded, and lunged at Cora.

The Seviper and Cora's battle had raged for hours, and miraculously, Cora had put up far better that either of them had anticipated. But, as the sun began to set and darken the desolate street, her vitality had been drained and she was losing. She was no longer fighting in defense; rather, she was fighting to stay alive, and it was costing her dearly. The Seviper swept its tail underneath her and threw her into the air, and she landed hard on the ground a few feet away. It lunged at her once more, wrapping its body around her and suffocating her. Matthew couldn't bear to watch.

"STOP IT!" He yelled. "CORA, JUST GIVE UP!" The Toxicroak jabbed him in his side again, and snickered.

Cora bit the Seviper, and he loosened his grip. She then jumped back, throwing razor-sharp leaves at the snake. This only irritated him, and the edge of his tail lit with poison. In a mad dash he brought it down on her body; its venom slowly killing her. She screamed in pain, and witnessing this made Matthew feel for every blow, along with his own brand. Tears flowed from his eyes as he lay there, unable to help her.

"Stop fighting," The Seviper whispered to her, in its own speech. "You've lost. And your time slips away faster, with every move…"

Cora looked at Matthew, and began to cry as well, but that didn't mean she was about to give up. With her last bit of strength, she yelled with determination. At that moment, her body began to glow, and the Seviper retracted its tail. She grew to twice his size in height, with her wounds healing and her health replenishing. Matthew watched in shock as his long-time companion underwent a change…from a Bayleef, to a Meganium.

"What's this?" The woman said, in shock. "Seviper, you still have type advantage. Continue!"

He nodded, and lunged at Cora, but as soon as she opened her eyes she caught him underneath her massive foot, driving him to the ground. He squirmed helplessly, screaming at his other companion to help. The Toxicroak sprinted over, jumped, and had promised an immobilizing blow with Poison Jab, but he was sadly anticipated by Cora, which bit into his arm and flung him towards the woman, and that sent her propelling backwards, into a light post. Cora wrapped her vines around the Seviper, drove him into the ground repeatedly, and then threw him back to his owner, and roared with victory. She recalled her pokémon, and she and the Toxicroak retreated…for now.

Matthew pulled himself to his feet and leaned his head on a street lamp, and worked his way to his feet. Cora ran back to him, and nuzzled him for comfort. He wrapped his arms around her.

"I was so worried about you," He cried. "Don't ever do that to me again."

She nodded, and looked up, but it was too late. A wave of fire was headed towards them and would surely put them out of their misery, when it was blocked by a large obstacle. Afterwards, it turned around, roared with vengeance, and caught the Infernape that they had confronted earlier by the neck, and drove him into the ground. Picking it up again, it whipped it with its tail, and sent it flying into the side of a building. Matthew looked at this pokémon very closely, and shockingly, identified it as the Tyranitar he had helped out so long ago. She turned back and looked at him, and that's when he put the pieces together: there was no way she could have made it from Johto all the way here, alone, and the amount of bravery Molly sported earlier, when she was clearly outmatched and outnumbered.

"…Molly?" He said, in shock. "Molly…is that you?" Cora seemed to recognize her from scent, and greeted her warmly. "So it is you…"

She whined, almost trying to say "I'm sorry." Matthew, both in shock and terror, reached out, and touched her chest. She closed her eyes.

"And this…this is what my father did," She nodded. "It all makes sense now…"

* * *

Metta inched closer to Calvin, who was helplessly unconscious. She could hear footsteps approaching, but her objective would have been fulfilled before anyone could do anything. A promotion flashed before her eyes, and she started giggling with excitement. She positioned the dagger over Calvin's chest.

"If the boss wants you dead, an order is an order!" She said, closing her eyes and thrusting the dagger downwards. She laughed with victory, but when she reopened her eyes, she hadn't hit him. In fact, she didn't hit anything but a pillow! She looked around and turned back, to meet the original Bianca, drenched with water and standing next to a Milotic. Calvin had been dragged into safety beforehand and was being supported by Lorenzo. She scoffed. "You're still alive?"

"Of course," She replied. "And not lightly!"

Metta attempted to reach for her pokéball, but it had been frozen shut. She looked up again, and pointed the dagger at Bianca, but Millie whipped it out of her hand and sent her flying back into a bookshelf, and used Ice Beam to freeze her in place. Now unconscious, she reverted to normal. Bianca sighed, and fell to her knees.

"Bianca!" Lorenzo put Calvin to rest and rushed to her aid. "Are you alright?"

"I am now," She replied. "Thanks to Millie."

"I don't follow."

"Metta was the one that ended me up like this," She explained. "Her Drapion cornered me in an alley, and the only way to escape was by jumping into the canal. The current would have swept me under, had Millie not been swimming the same path when she was. She brought me to the surface, and we made an effort to return here as fast as possible, before…something like this could happen."

"That would explain why your bow was on the wrong ponytail!" Codie exclaimed. "She must've been looking directly at you and only mirrored your appearance!"

She nodded, and ducked her voice to a whisper. "But it's worse than I thought, grandpa. I haven't been able to get in contact with Latias all day. Where is she?"

As she said that, Calvin's Staraptor returned with his four remaining pokémon, and Danielle. They all gathered in the room and greeted each other. Codie looked at the Electivire of his. She knew that most pokémon looked the same, but there was something about this one that seemed oddly familiar. His eyes fell on her, and he looked at her with interest.

* * *

"Millie, go away," I groaned, turning over. She slapped me across the head and I jumped out of my sleep, almost to scold her, when I realized that was in a totally different environment than my home. Bianca and Lorenzo were preparing tea for me to drink. "What's going on?"

"You don't remember, Mr. Winthrop?" Codie asked, petting Shaymin. In plain sight, too!

"Um…vaguely," I replied, accepting the tea. "I was hoping that it was all just a dream."

"Far from it, my friend," Lorenzo said, pointing me in the direction of a young lady, iced to a bookshelf across the room. She was shivering due to prolonged exposure. Wow, how long was I out? "She impersonated Bianca and attempted to kill you, when we intercepted her."

"Thank you," I walked up to her. "So…you work for Morgan, huh?"

"Yeah," She confessed. "I was hoping to get a promotion for killing you."

"Ah," I said, pacing. "So he's attacked the city, all for what gain?"

"He said he wants to ruin you; leave you responsible for all of this," She continued. "He calls it Leverage, but we don't question him. We follow orders and fulfill objectives."

"One of those objectives is to kill me?" She nodded. "Wow. He really hates me."

"I'll say. He says he has something planned for you, but there's not much more I can say."

"Why not?"

"Because I don't know, idiot!" She snapped. "We were hired to kill you. That's all we know."

I returned to the others. "Well, that was inconvenient."

"Calvin…" Bianca started. "Something doesn't feel right about her. She seems too laid back about all this."

I looked back at her. She was trying desperately to keep her sunglasses from slipping off of the brim of her nose. I helped her out with that, and with gratitude, she told me that she was a shape shifter. That sounded a lot like one of Morgan's little lab experiments, and I questioned her about it. She then admitted to it, telling us that Morgan gave her the powers by injecting her with the DNA of a Ditto. It sounded stupid at first, but it was actually incredibly smart, considering how well it worked yesterday. This did, however, have an effect on her eyes and hair, like Molly's, turning her hair white, but also making her eyes UV sensitive, which is why she wore the red sunglasses.

"How could you work for the same person who did this to you?" I asked.

"Simple. At first, I hated him for doing this to me, but then I thought about it," She said. "He gave me powers no one else had, and I have to say, it's been a hell of a ride."

"If only my daughter had your optimism," I said sarcastically. "Why are you so confident? You've been captured; there's not much more you can hope for."

"I guess it would look that way," She said. "Except, Dr. Morgan has sometimes referred to me as "his daughter", meaning that he'll come rescue me if I'm in danger."

"You really believe that?"

"Wouldn't you?" She asked. "You really think I would've told you all of this if I didn't have a backup plan?" She turned her head to one side, revealing a headset.

"Dad, we're here!" Molly and Matthew finally came rushing in, with a newly-evolved Cora at his side.

"Matthew, where's your mother?"

"I left her at the shop," I borrowed Molly's star and placed it in the guard. "Why, what's wrong?"

"It's a trap!" I ran back downstairs, ignoring the pain in my leg and returned to the atrium. Morgan and his entire team of operatives were approaching the museum. I unsheathed the sword and spun around, summoning an air wave, and blew it towards the large front doors. The doors swung shut, and immediately locked themselves. I didn't know how long that was going to last, but we had to use the time sparingly.

"Mr. Winthrop, how did you just do that?" I turned around, and was met by everyone.

"I don't have time to explain it right now," I said. "Lorenzo, are there any other exits out of plain sight? We need to get these people out of here—" There was a loud explosion on the other side of the doors. The boom echoed throughout the atrium, rattling the fixtures and the nerves of many. "And fast!"

"There are exits through the catacombs," He said, cringing to another explosion. "They lead out from under the museum and further into the city."

"That'll do," Bianca and Lorenzo called to the people, and asked them to follow. They all formed lines, and prepared to evacuate. There was a third explosion, and the doors started failing. "Codie, you go with them. You got your Shinx?"

"He's in his pokéball," She replied. "What are you going to do?"

"Hold them off for as long as possible," She nodded, and joined the rest of the people. The fourth explosion did a considerable amount of damage to the door, and dents could now be seen from the inside.

"Mr. Winthrop…my dad came to see me."

I turned to Matthew. "Why are you telling me this now?"

"I may never get a chance to," Molly transformed. "But I know what he's capable of."

"She told you?"

"I didn't have to," She replied.

The last explosion did it. With the door battered, and sustaining considerable damage to render it useless, claws cut through the door and tore open a pathway for which Morgan climbed through, accompanied by his team of operatives and their pokémon, having been restored to full strength. We were evenly matched by head count, until Morgan's pokémon joined the party. If he had gotten stronger from all the DNA Morgan acquired, even at full power, we were all outmatched.

"I don't fancy standoffs much, Calvin," He called. "But if that's what you want, then so be it."

He nodded to his pokémon, and it darted towards us. I raised the sword in defense, getting ready to summon an attack—any attack, when it was tackled by Latias, into a freestanding pillar, consecutively using her powers to bring the pillar down on it, pinning it to the ground for the moment. She then turned back to us, having previously been injured to some extent.

"Latias, are you alright?"

_"__I will be,"_ She panted. _"I just needed to get that over with."_

I nodded. "So…Morgan…you were saying?"

Morgan ordered his operatives to continue the battle. Latias and I teamed up, as his pokémon freed itself from the pillar.

* * *

The stage was set. Bane unleashed his Infernape, which barreled across the museum floor, performed a front flip, before jumping, and attempting to bring his leg down on Molly. She blocked with her arms. The fight had begun. Morgan's pokémon took off towards Calvin and Latias in a similar fashion, and attempted to pin her down. She caught it by the arm, spinning it like a carousel, and drove it into the wall across the atrium. She returned to Calvin's side, but was tiring rapidly from every attack. Its eyes began to glow, and it formed a ball of energy twice his size, and threw it at her. She attempted to block when Calvin intervened, swinging the sword once more, forming an attack to meet this. The ball was stopped mid-flight, and began to absorb his attack.

"Okay, that didn't work!" The ball continued on its course towards them. Latias put up a barrier to protect themselves, but it was proving worthless in her drained state. "Wait, Latias, I have an idea!" He pulled the star out of the guard and placed it on the back of her neck. The center portion of the star a part of one of its five pinnacles started to glow brightly, and Latias' power increased tenfold. She relinquished his attack, swirled up into the air, and charged for a Hyper Beam. "Don't get carried away now!"

_"__This is revenge!"_ She snarled, launching the super attack. It tried to block, but with the star powering her, it didn't stand a chance. Calvin chuckled, but quickly stopped, when the same attack was bestowed upon him. He looked up, as the Salamence prepared its own super attack, and tried everything to get out of the way, but miraculously, the dragon's attack was negated when he became stunned by Millie's Ice Beam. It screamed in pain, as it was frozen from the neck down, and crashed to the floor, immobilized and down for the count. Calvin looked at Millie, and she responded the same way.

"Thanks, Millie," She nodded, and rejoined the cause.

Matthew was standing in front of his father. His father, expressing no emotion towards him, chuckled.

"I'm sorry it had to turn out this way, son."

"I am _not_ your son," He exclaimed through gritted teeth. "At one time in my life, I looked up to you…now you just make me sick."

"Those are strong words," He replied. "If only you understood my line of work—"

"I've seen enough of your work!" He yelled. "Do you even realize what you've done? All the people you've hurt…for what gain?"

"I don't need a reason for my actions, Matthew," He said. "My research proved successful, and it would have changed the world…had it not been for _him,_" Matthew realized that he was referring to Calvin. "All the time I spent…all the manpower, wasted…all to this one individual!"

"He had every reason to!" Matthew said. "Look what you've done to his daughter! To Molly! You've changed her…you killed her. And for the last few months, I've had to suffer because of it, all because she thinks I'm you!"

He lunged at his father, whom had strafed to the side with guile, and elbowed him in the spine. Matthew fell to the ground, temporarily paralyzed, upon which his father, having been angered enough, picked him up by the collar and stood him up in front of him.

"It hurts, doesn't it?" He asked. "I taught you everything you know about self-defense. Am I still not your father, Matthew?"

Matthew looked at his father, and started snickering. "Not everything…MOLLY!"

Molly had been waiting to do this for ten years. She tackled Morgan, throwing him dozens of feet back, crashing into the wall, and slid to the ground, unconscious. Matthew fell to his knees and looked up. Molly smiled gently, but had her back turned to her opponent. He took this as an initiative to plot a sneak attack, and performed a jump kick. "Molly, look out!" An attack like that would indefinitely paralyze her. Without thinking, Matthew took the hit. He felt his chest crumble, and he coughed up a bit of blood before his opponent retreated, leaving him to his slow and painful death. Molly stood in shock over him, shrieking in agony as he clutched his chest.

"Latias!" Molly cried. "I need you!"

Latias, having downed her opponent, rushed to their aid. Molly, now rattled with anger, turned back to her opponent, which was taunting her back into battle.

"You just made a _big_ mistake," She snarled.

Mismagius fought both the Toxicroak and the Seviper, but was currently tormenting her enemies with the idea that she had transformed into a three-headed Arcanine, that was getting ready to eat them. Calvin watched with relish; his team was faring well against their opponents. Typhlosion rolled up into a wheel, tackling the Houndoom and then running him over repeatedly.

"Hey Calvin!" He turned around as Metta, immediately transforming into him, stood where he did. She even went as far as making herself an identical sword, and challenged him to a duel. Cora and Millie had their hands full with a Drapion, which turned the tides of the standoff.

"Oh damn, you're good," He raised his sword. "But I doubt that's a real—" She cut his cheek. He flew backwards in pain and in disbelief. She grinned.

"You were saying?"

Calvin inched closer, but had never actually had to use the sword except for a few waves. He made it his prerogative to learn swordsmanship, if she didn't kill him first. She spun around, sweeping the sword in his direction. He leant backwards, with the edge of the blade cutting his blazer. He backed up, as her grin morphed into a laugh.

"You haven't done this before, have you?"

"I am…a 36 year-old…restaurant owner!" He blocked her blade, and drove it to the ground. "What the hell would I gain by learning swordsmanship?"

"You never know when it might come in handy!" She said, freeing her blade and twirling. He just barely blocked her blade from beheading him. She relinquished her blade again, and attempted to stab him. "This is for freezing me to a wall all night!"

"You are so immature!" He said, strafing out of the way. She paused, and turned to him, with a demented look on her face.

"What did you just say?"

'Oh god,' She swept her sword across the ground and up towards him, and he tried blocking, but the force was too strong and it knocked the sword out of his hand, and sent it flying across the atrium. He gulped, and looked at it, as it sailed helplessly through the air, and then looked back at her. "Wait…wait!" He ducked out of the way of the incoming blade. She screamed in frustration and tried multiple times to either behead or impale him.

Each attempt to thrust the blade into Calvin's body by Metta resulted in near misses and supreme acrobatic skills, almost along the lines of luck. Calvin dodged, and dodged, and dodged, and she became increasingly frustrated with each blow she missed. She went for an overhead swipe, and once again, Calvin dodged. Metta's sword then became stuck in the museum floor, and she put all of her might into freeing it. Calvin saw this as an opportunity to search. He looked around, and finally spotted it; his beloved Archaic Sword. He slid across the slippery atrium floor and picked it up. As he did this, Metta tugged her sword out of the ground and ran immediately towards him. She jumped into the air for another overhead strike. As soon as Calvin turned over, he raised his sword in defense as Metta descended upon him. Their swords clashed, sending out a loud sonic wave and shattering nearby windows. With their swords conjoined in an ultimate test of will, Metta applied the pressure. She was stronger, and in a more commanding position.

"Give up Calvin!" She said, applying more pressure. "You're pathetic! You're weak! You have failed once more and you WILL…NOT…WIN!"

Someone tapped her on the shoulder. When she looked up, a yellow-furred monolith pokémon was looming over her. She smirked, and tried to stab it, but he caught her sword carefully by the blade and used it as an energy conductor. She howled in pain as he stunned her, and she fell to the ground. Electivire pulled Calvin to his feet.

* * *

Molly sent her opponent flying back to its owner, beaten into a painful unconsciousness, and Millie and Cora sent their opponent into full retreat, and by combining their attacks, the entire group fired at them with full strength. There was a terrific explosion, and I covered my eyes. When the explosion settled, I looked around, most notably at the wall, where Morgan's pokémon lay. It wasn't there. "What in the—" I looked around frantically, until I spotted it hovering over the last few evacuees. It looked back at me, and then damaged the ceiling above them, sending large chunks of debris falling to the floor.

"NO!" People screamed in agony as they were impaled by the debris. Enraged, I ran towards it, but it had vanished before I could reach. I turned back, as previous dust had cleared, and Morgan and his operatives had also vanished. Throwing that aside for the moment, I rushed towards the debris, claiming the fates of many, but as I neared, it looked as if no one had been hurt. In fact, everyone climbed over the debris unscathed; some sort of force field had been cast over them, and shielded them from danger. "Latias! Quick thinking!"

_"__But…that wasn't me!"_ She yelled.

I spun around. "Wait, what?" She nodded. She couldn't have; she was holding Matthew in her arms. I turned back to the group of people to check on them anyway, which had formed a group, encircling something. As I cut my way through them, I gasped in shock, as Codie stood, frozen in place, shielding herself with her arms. Her eyes and hands were glowing, with a faint, light-blue glow. She immediately lost consciousness and began to fall over. "Codie!" I caught her. "I need some help!"

Her eyes closed and the glow diminished. I know this may sound crazy, but…did she just save all of these people?

* * *

**Some things are not always what they seem. Please review!**


	20. Knowing

Codie opened her eyes. It was morning, or at least that's what it looked like to her, and she was lying in a hospital bed. Except for medical equipment and her pokémon, the room was empty. Shaymin and her Shinx were sound asleep on her chest, and she nudged at them until they woke up. All of a sudden they became excited, and started licking her face.

"Stop it!" She laughed. "What's gotten into you two?"

She sat up and looked around. Upon movement, she saw a figure stand up in the hallway and rush towards her room. It turned out to be Calvin. "Finally, you're awake."

"Why am I in the hospital?" She asked him. He pulled up a chair.

"You don't remember?" She shook her head. "That's good."

"What do you mean, 'that's good'?" She asked. "I'm lying in a hospital bed; I think I deserve to know."

There was a long silent pause. She remained persistent for an answer and he finally sighed, and got comfortable. "Alright…you're right, I'm sorry…three days ago—"

"Three days?"

"Yeah, you've been unconscious for three days."

"Why?" He frowned. "Oh…sorry."

"_Three days ago_ and you have to remember this," He started. "The city was attacked by a group of people," She could barely remember it, but that's how it happened. "I don't know the exact reason why, yet, although I was told that it was because of me, but for now it looks like they were trying to kill us. Anyway, they had gained the upper hand over us for a while, but when we formed a group we began to push them back and we were going to win."

"Then what?"

"When we regrouped with the city's guardian, we found this pokémon that I've been chasing for the last few weeks," He continued. "In a desperate attempt to catch us off guard, he tried to attack some of the civilians, impaling them with debris."

"W-what happened?"

"…Nothing. That's the thing," He got up, and began to pace. "When the dust cleared everyone was okay, but you…I found you standing in the center of the crowd, and your eyes and hands were glowing," He started to think. "I came to a conclusion, and feel free to laugh at any time, but…I think _you_ saved them."

She didn't laugh. He grew concerned.

"You're not making this any easier, Codie."

"…I believe you."

He turned around. "What?"

"Back when I was eight," She looked at her hands. "I was playing kickball with some of my friends. The ball was coming my way, so I gave it one good kick. Unfortunately no one caught it, and it went flying over my house and into the trees. I volunteered to get it, of course, but when I finally found it and I started to make my way back to the others, someone grabbed my arm, and put something over my mouth. Everything started to swirl, and I blacked out."

"Did you get a good look at them before…?"

"No…but when I woke up, I was strapped to an examining table, with men in white lab coats looking down at me. They had a syringe, filled with some sort of fluid, which they injected into my arm. After that, I blacked out again. A few days passed, and I woke up in a dark room, chained to the wall by—"

"—ankle?" He asked curiously.

She slowly turned to him. "H-How do you know that?"

"A few hours passed, someone entered the room, and said they were rescuing you…"

She backed up. "Mr. Winthrop…you're starting to scare me."

"Remember that Electivire that carried you to safety?" She slowly nodded. He pulled out his wallet, and gave her a picture. It was a family portrait. She spotted the Electivire, standing behind him, and it was the exact same one she had seen a few days ago.

"He…I…that was you?"

He nodded. "I knew your name sounded familiar. Back in 2003 I was on a quest to find a good friend of mine, and it led me to Eterna City, where you and more than a dozen other people were being held captive. I met your parents, who were also looking for you, and I passed some words of good luck to them. After you were rescued, you were reunited them at the pokémon center in Eterna, right?"

"Oh, right," She continued her story. "After that, my parents tried their best to help me forget about it, and for a few months, it actually worked, until…"

"…until what?"

"I was at home one day, in our kitchen, and I was reaching for a bowl above the sink. I must have slipped on something, and I tripped and fell, but the thing is…I never hit the ground."

"You were _levitating_?" She gave him back his picture, and nodded. "That must've been caused by a strong urge not to hit the ground."

"It was…and when my parents heard my scream, they rushed to my aid, only to find me floating in midair. They helped me down and we talked about it for a while, and tried to move on again."

"And for the next seven years, everything was quiet, until you left on your journey, right?" She nodded, and he got up and started to pace.

"What's wrong?"

"I think that syringe they injected you with…gave you some sort of powers."

She looked at him, surprised. "What kind of powers?"

Calvin picked Shinx up and scratched him behind his ears. "He hasn't left you since I brought you here."

* * *

They spent two more days at the hospital until she regained her strength, and was able to walk freely. She put on her clothes and got prepared for the day. For the few hours after Calvin had said it, she couldn't believe it, until it all made sense: she _did_ have these powers. The memories she saw, and the powers she was seen emitting. That was definitely something to go in her journal. For so long she had tried to forget about it, but now it was in the open. She honestly thought that Calvin would've freaked out by now or labeled her as crazy, but he seemed to know what he was talking about and he looked like he believed her story. There was just one other thing that she just had to know.

"Mr. Winthrop?" She swung her bag over her arm as they walked away from the hospital.

"Hm?"

"Um…what were they trying to do to us?" She asked nervously. "You know, in Eterna City, where we were being held. The syringe, the chains…?"

"Codie," His voice grew serious. "For the sake of your breakfast, and your emotional state right now, I think that it's best that you not know."

From the way he sounded, she didn't think she wanted to.

* * *

Molly finally rang the doorbell at Matthew's house. She was standing there for the last twenty minutes deciding whether or not to do it and started wondering on how he would react about what happened three days ago, but she couldn't live with the guilt any longer. His mother answered the door.

"Oh, good morning, Molly."

"Hi, Mrs. Morgan," She said. "Is Matt here?"

"No, he isn't," She replied sadly. "In fact I haven't seen him in the last three days."

'He must still be getting treatment,' She thought. 'Well, thanks anyway.'

"Wait, Molly," She stopped again. "Please, I need to know…what's going on? Is…is Ely…alive?"

She looked verry worried, and distraught. Molly thought it was best if she knew, and went inside, and sat her down. She didn't know how Caitlyn was going to take this, but she told her anyway. She told her that Morgan was working for Team Galactic, and for the last eleven years, he had lied about being dead. Caitlyn put a hand over her mouth, never stopping to think that her husband had turned from a good man into a monster. Molly tried telling her what he had been doing, but stopped short. She didn't want to relive the memories.

"He…he did this to me," She said, running a hand through her hair. "I know it sounds crazy, but…he's not the man you think he is."

She got up, and rubbed her arms. She took her family portrait in hand and looked at it. "When I married him, he was just a scientist with a dream…how could he do this to us?"

"I don't know," Molly replied. "Some people just…_change_."

She scoffed, and continued looking at the picture. "Eleven years…" She turned back to Molly. "I'm sorry, dear…this is too much to take in…but where is Matthew? I hope he hasn't harmed him."

"I thought he was here," Molly replied. "This was the first time he's seen his father in over a decade. I don't think he knows how to handle it," In actuality, Matthew was undergoing recovery in the garden with Latias, before his injury could ever become fatal. She didn't want to lie to Caitlyn, but a secret was a secret. "I'll find him, Mrs. Morgan."

She nodded in appreciation. "You've been such a great help to us, Molly. Thank you."

"You're welcome," She walked past her and towards the door.

Molly wandered across the city, to the museum, but it had been closed for reconstruction. She relied on the bracelet again, and returned to a concealed doorway in an L-shaped alley. Walking through, she emerged in the garden, where Bianca and Lorenzo were staying. They jumped at her sudden appearance, but made it clear that it was her. They led her down a pathway and to a clearing, where Latias was attempting to treat Matthew's ribs once more. He was sore, but at least he wasn't dying. Cora and Serena were by his side.

"How's he doing?" Molly asked.

Latias finished up, and smiled. _"All done. It took a while to repair the damage, but he's as good as new."_

Molly nodded. "Can I speak with him for a moment?"

_"Sure,"_ The three of them returned to the outer garden while Molly sat down next to him. He opened his eyes and stared at her. "How are you feeling?"

"Compared to three days ago…awesome," He chuckled. His laughter was cut short by pain.

Molly covered her mouth and began to cry. "I…I'm sorry you had to find out this way, Matt."

His smile faded, and he looked towards the sky. "All these years…" He said quietly. "He was alive…he didn't call, he didn't let us know…when he disappeared mom went crazy looking for him, and he didn't even come back…"

"How did he go from 'missing' to 'dead'?" She asked.

"They say they found his body in his lab," Molly knew that he had to have been awfully mad at his father if he was telling her all of this without pausing. "Now that he's alive, I don't even want to know who they _actually_ found…"

He sat up, painfully but carefully. "He told me about his experiments when I was a little kid, and when he came by the other night—about merging the DNA of a human with the DNA of a pokémon. At the time, he told me that all of the tests had failed. He said that one day, he would perfect it, but we never saw that day," Molly turned away, with tears now running down her face. "Now…I wish I never did."

"…Matt, I saw him through you," She said. "After I found out who you were, you just…you just started to remind me of him, and I didn't want to go through that again. Everything that your father has done reflects in that stare of his, and that's mostly what I looked into when he…"

"It's okay, you don't have to tell me," He said. "I understand."

She turned to him, and smiled. "I'm so sorry, Matt. You're so much better than your father."

She wiped the tears from her eyes and turned to Serena. She looked up. 'And neither are you,' She walked over to her. "Serena, thank you, and…I forgive you."

She nodded happily, and Molly returned to Matt, pulling him up off of the ground.

"Come on, bring them. My dad's coming. He has something to tell you all."

"What?"

"You'll see."

* * *

Bianca and Lorenzo were with Latias in the garden. To accompany them, my six pokémon were waiting patiently with them. I summoned them all to a very important meeting—something they would have to hear, because the truth was among them and there was no sense lying to them any further. A few minutes passed, and Codie and I entered the garden. Codie stared at Matthew; the two had never got a chance to meet.

"Okay, everyone's here. How do I start," I paced. "Three days ago, as you all vividly remember, Alto Mare was attacked by a group who I would assume to be the top operatives of Team Galactic, led by none other than Dr. Ely Morgan."

"But why Alto Mare?" Bianca asked. "What was so important about this city?"

"He was trying to finish erasing Latias' memory, at best," I said. "However, he was also coming to visit his wife and son for the first time in 11 years."

"Who is his—" Bianca looked past me, and towards Matthew. He gulped. "No…you're not…Matthew Morgan?"

He sighed. "Unfortunately I am."

"Then that means you knew about the attack!"

"And I was coming to tell Mr. Winthrop when we were ambushed by one of his operatives," He said. "Look, I hate my father as much as you do. He faked his death, hurt innocent people, and tried to destroy this city. I swear I would never try to help him."

"And you can believe him," I said. "He's already proven to Molly and I that he's nothing like his father, but that's up to one other person to decide. Codie, if you will."

Codie slowly stepped forward. Calvin led her around until she was standing in front of Matthew.

"What do you see in him?"

"…nothing," She said. The two then hugged, although with Matthew's predicament, he was reluctant to. "Mr. Winthrop's right. You're nothing like your father."

"Ain't that something?" I glared at Molly. Her face turned red. "I rescued Codie from the Galactic Eterna facility seven years ago. He's given her some sort of powers. But she's not the only one who has been affected by him. Molly, and my assistant manager, Danielle Stewart, were also victims of his madness. How serious is it, you may ask? Well…Danielle was human."

"You're joking!" I shook my head. "How was he capable of doing so?"

"I'm not sure, but I guess he was driven by greed and success. His research proved successful, it seems," I took a deep breath, and unveiled the truth. "And here comes my part of the story. I'm not who you think I am. Apart from Molly, I've hidden another part of my life from you all. This sword will explain how," I unsheathed the sword. "It's _not_ a family heirloom, by the way," I said to Lorenzo. "Molly, I need your star for a moment, if you don't mind."

She handed it to me, and I placed it in the guard. The sword flashed.

"Latias and I didn't meet by accident in a park almost 11 years ago," I said. "I was sent to meet her."

"Well who sent you?"

I swung the sword into the air. A wave of heat shot into the sky, and when it hit the clouds, they started to evaporate, blanketing the garden in ray of sunlight. Eventually the anomaly continued, and the overcast was finally gone. I took a deep breath.

"Arceus."

"Wait…_Arceus_?" Codie repeated, in awe. "Number 493? The Creator? Calvin, this is the last and most powerful pokémon in the pokédex."

"Nah, there's more pokémon you don't know about," I borrowed her pokédex and showed it to the others. "Now look at the sword."

The four looked up at me. I continued before they could gather their thoughts.

"I've been investigating Morgan's whereabouts, while also chasing his mysterious pokémon," I said. "We tried ambushing it, but he escaped to Alto Mare and erased Latias' memory. After that, he disappeared. I returned from my investigation, mostly on patrol, making sure he didn't come back to try and finish the job, but the coast was clear. I was out of town on a…unrelated task, when Morgan and his operatives swooped in. He's been doing that a lot lately."

"Wait, so…Arceus gave you this sword?" Bianca asked.

"Yes."

"Ten years ago?" Lorenzo asked.

"Well actually seven, but I've known her for over ten years."

"So that means you knew Latios as well?"

"Actually, a majority of the other legendary pokémon," I said. "Latios was a close friend who entrusted me to protect his sister at all costs in his absence."

I removed the star from the guard, and then gave it to Codie. "What do you feel?"

Codie held the star in the palm of her hand. I didn't expect this to happen, since whatever she possessed was an entirely different field of power, but the star glew anyway, shrouding her body in a thin veil of energy. The veil began to pulsate, increasing in power, and her breathing fastened.

"Whoa…what's happening?"

"If my theory is correct," I said. "Then this will help you focus your powers."

"I can see that!"

"I have one other theory," I waved Latias over, and she and Codie stood in front of each other. "Place your hand on Latias' forehead," She seemed a bit unsure about doing this. "Don't worry; she's the nicest person in the world. Nothing will happen."

Latias brought herself down to reach, and Codie placed her hand on her forehead. Nothing was happening.

"What do I do now?"

"I don't know. Try replicating that contact you had with Cornelia."

"What? I—" Her hand started to glow brighter than the rest of her body.

"Mr. Winthrop, what are you doing?" Bianca asked.

"I call it a jump start," I said. "Codie's powers haven't developed much yet because she's still young and have had no use for them. So, I'm using the star to amplify them for the moment. If I'm correct, and Latias didn't permanently lose her memory, then an outside force of energy should help undo the damage caused by Morgan's pokémon, which should inevitably restore her memory," Suddenly the two were engulfed in bright blue light. The energy started pulsating fiercely, brushing over everything in the garden. "It's working!"

"So this explains the memory I saw," Molly said. "The one about Latios."

"If that's so, then the star must have more power than I thought."

That pulsating energy grew brighter and stronger, until it became a slight breeze, and then finally a high wind. I covered my eyes as dust and pebbles were whipped up and around. The energy dissipated after a few minutes, but it did so very harshly, returning to the environment and throwing us all back off our feet. I got up and brushed myself off. Codie was unconscious and Latias was holding her head.

"Codie!" I ran over to her, and held her in my arms. "Codie, wake up!"

Everyone gathered around. She finally opened her eyes and I sighed in relief.

"M-Mr. Winthrop…?" I helped her up. "Did it work?"

"I don't know yet—"

"Yes…yes!"

I turned around. "Apparently it did."

"Calvin, it worked! I remember!" She shrieked. "Everything!"

"Everything?" She nodded. "As far as…?"

"My entire life," She said. "Everything about Latios…oh, it feels so good to remember him again."

She gave me the usual bone-breaker. "Thank you!" And then she hugged Codie. _"And thank you. I must find some way to return the favor."_

"Calvin, you understood all of that?" Lorenzo asked. "I haven't the slightest idea what she just said."

"Eh…it's another small benefit from the Archaic Sword."

* * *

"Order whatever you want," I said. "Don't worry. It's on the house."

After everything settled down, we all returned to the newly refurbished—again—restaurant to celebrate. It was a beautiful evening, and from the looks of things, the citizens were also in a good mood; the fastest to rebound from the attack. The restaurant was at capacity this evening, so Danielle and I took large round tables and their umbrellas out of storage and set them up outside on the street. Our entire group took a table to ourselves and we were indulged in conversation.

"So Latias, what were you speaking to Codie about, just now?"

_"She decided to stay for a while, so I agreed to teach her the basics of her powers,"_ She replied. _"It's the least I could do."_

"Sounds like a plan," I said, smiling. I looked at Molly and Matthew. "And everything's alright between you two?"

"Yep," Molly said. "There's nothing to worry about."

A waiter came by and filled our glasses with sparkling cider. I picked up my glass.

"But Mr. Winthrop," Bianca called. "What about Dr. Morgan? He got away, didn't he?"

"That he did, and I'll have to resume the search for him," I said. "Everyone I know is on alert, so there's no possible way he can hurt anyone else without motive. But all of that aside," I held my glass up. "Cheers, to another beautiful night in this city."

"I'll raise my glass to that," Lorenzo said happily.

Everyone else agreed, and all of our glasses touched.

* * *

_Meanwhile…_

"You sure about this, boss?" Bane asked.

"I have no reason to second-guess myself," Morgan replied. "You just make sure your teams are in place."

The two were standing on the edge of a cliff, overlooking Celadon City.

"You think he'll come?"

A technician approached them. "Everything's ready, sir."

Morgan nodded to the scientist. "He'll have no other choice," He walked over to a glass tank. His mysterious pokémon was being treated, as adjustments were being made to his helmet. Morgan lay back in a capsule. Scientists attached sensors to his arms, legs, and head. He closed his eyes and the door on the capsule closed. Bane looked at the capsule for a moment, and then heard someone tapping on glass. He spun around as the tank drained and Morgan glided out.

_"_…_and no idea."_


	21. Summoned

"Cora, stop it!" Cora continued nuzzling against Matthew's neck as I walked in the next morning. His laughter came to a complete stop. "M-Mr. Winthrop! I'm sorry, but she just wanted to come with me today!"

"No, it's fine, it's—" I looked around. The customers were laughing and having a good time. "Matthew, you're a genius!"

"What did I do?"

"Bringing Cora to work with you!" I exclaimed proudly. "Don't you know that Meganium's petals have the ability to relinquish aggressive feelings toward one another? Look," People who didn't know one another were chatting as if they were life-long friends. "Plus, it makes the place smell great…not that it didn't."

"So, Mr. Winthrop—thank you," He accepted a tray from the cooks and walked with me to the table. "You're going looking for my dad today, aren't you?"

"Yeah," I replied. "Look, I'm sorry you have to hear it this way, Matthew—"

"No, it's fine," He placed the trays on the table full of grinning customers. They all chanted "thank you", which crept us both out. "He sold us out for his career, so he's not up on my plate of forgiveness."

"Look, Matthew, I know you're angry," I knelt down to him. "Trust me, I was there. But you know what the problem is? Under all of that hatred, you love him, and I'm sure he loves you."

He sighed. "I do…but he's making that increasingly difficult."

"Yeah, I know," I said. "Well, let's forget about that. It's a full house today!"

He nodded, and ran off to fill more orders. Meganium aromas didn't relieve tensions with me. This came from all the years of helping my mother in her garden and all of the different floral aromas I inhaled, so I developed my own repellant for all things happy…this was probably why Cora was standing behind me. "C-Cora! Hey, nice job you're doing. Listen, I gotta go, but stay here and keep Matthew some company, alright?"

I smiled and waved her goodbye, but she wrapped her vines around my chest and reeles me back in.

"Cora, you can't break me!" I struggled for my freedom. "NO!"

* * *

_"__This is the Soul Dew,"_ Latias said. _"It is the soul of a passed Lati in tangible form…and my brother."_

"Can I touch it?" Codie asked. Latias thought about it for a moment, and then nodded. Codie reached out and touched the warm surface of the Dew. "Wow…I can feel something."

_"__What?"_

"I don't know, it's warm," She said. "But it feels like energy…how's that possible?"

_"__Eon Dragons are known for emitting a unique type of aura,"_ She replied. _"That is why this is left behind when we pass away. It's basically a manifestation of our life force. In other words, energy."_

"Wow this is so cool," Latias giggled, placing the soul dew back in its resting place. "So when do we start training?"

_"__Now,"_ Latias said, gliding over to another side of the garden. _"Are you ready?"_

Codie scurried into position, and worked with Latias for the rest of the morning, trying to master the basics of her powers. Latias seemed kind to her at first, but as a teacher she was tough. The two hadn't realized that Calvin, Millie, and Molly drifted in midway to watch over lesson. Molly came with them, only to find solace to draw her portrait, and sat down in the shade of a tree.

_"__Okay__,__ think fast!"_ Latias threw a set of baseball-sized rocks at Codie. Codie looked determined to catch them at first, but then grew paranoid and shielded herself with her arms. Her fear was the source of her protection, drawing out a n invisible barrier to which the rocks bounced harmlessly off of. Impressed, Calvin sat up.

"Nice Job, Codie," The two shrieked in unison at Calvin's sudden call. "Oh, I'm sorry. I should've made my presence clear."

Latias dashed toward him, and felt his forehead. Then she grabbed him by the arms and lifted him up onto his feet. _"Calvin Augustine Winthrop doesn't apologize__.__"_

"Hey!" He released himself. Molly could be heard cracking up in the distance. "My middle name isn't to be said in public! And of course I say sorry…just not all the time."

_"__Name the last time you said it."_

He thought about it. "Well…there was that one time—"

_"__When?"_

"S-Seven years ago, you remember," He replied. "I apologized to Danielle—that has to count for something."

_"__That was only because I asked you to!"_ He groaned. _"I have to get back to Codie's training."_

"No worries. I'll be out of your fur."

She looked at him with surprise. _"Snap out of it!"_ She slapped him across the face, causing him to stumble and fall to the ground. _"You always reply with sarcasm. What's gotten into you?"_

"Latias, I'm fine…ow," He rubbed his face. "Cora just blasted me with an extra powerful dose of her "feel good" aromas and it's had me all whipped up. But enjoy it while you can."

_"__Oh…okay,"_ She continued with Codie's training. He went back to rest with Millie. Molly still hadn't said a word to them.

"Molly, how's your portrait coming along?"

She looked at him for a moment, and then continued drawing. He picked two apples from the tree above and gave one to Millie, and then continued watching Latias and Codie go at it.

* * *

_"__Calvin, wake up!"_

"What!" I got up. "W-where is everyone?"

_"__They're all back at your house. Come with me!"_

We teleported to the foyer. I looked around. "Wow…so much for walking."

_"__It seems the sleep has brought you back to normal,"_ She said. _"And I was just starting to like it."_

She dragged me into the living room. Molly and Matthew were watching the news. There was something happening in Celadon City.

"Turn it up."

"We're reporting to you today, on behalf of the city of Celadon," A reporter yelled "The city—no, the entire region of Kanto is in a state of emergency right now," A live helicopter feed from over the city showed buildings engulfed in flames, people running through the streets, and at the center of town, there was a large crater. "In a wave of destruction that started early this morning, residents that try to flee for their lives are stopped by the doings of Team Galactic. They've blocked the exits at the eastern and western exits, and refuse to let anyone leave until they get what they want. There is one—something that's causing all of this—there it goes!"

"Morgan!" His mysterious pokémon darted across the screen, and towards the crater. "That bastard!"

"We're here!" Bianca and Lorenzo joined all of us. "What's going on?"

"Dr. Morgan strikes again!" I replied. "He's attacking Celadon, and now he's gone too far!" I ran for my coat, and strapped the sword to my back. "It's time to put an end to this."

"I HAVE AN ANNOUNCEMENT TO MAKE!"

I stopped, just as his voice boasted loud and clear through the TV. I backed up, and looked at the screen. Morgan was nowhere in sight as the helicopter zoomed in on the crater, and his pokémon assumed his voice. I crossed my arms, because nothing he said was going to stop me from what I had planned for him now.

"If you wish for this to stop, I ask you to bring me someone," He said, voice still emanating from somewhere. "This 'someone' will challenge me, to a match: a _one-on-one_ match. If he is late, or, if he is assisted, then the people of this inferior city will die."

"You've got to be—what?" I clenched my fists. "He's getting desperate!"

"He's bluffing," Matt mumbled. "He's got to be bluffing!"

"The person, who I ask for, goes by the name of Calvin Winthrop."

My heart dropped.

"Dad…he just called you out," Molly said, in disbelief.

"Fine, I'll…I'll…" Something wasn't clicking. He was just calling out orders as if he felt sure of himself. For every word Morgan said, his pokémon made the same gesture. The man challenged me head on to a match, knowing quite clearly that I could behead him, so it was obvious that he wasn't going to be fighting, unless… "That can't be possible," Coincidentally, the cameraman zoomed in on the pokémon. He made one spin.

_"__I hope you like the new form,"_ He chuckled. This petrified me, and everyone else in the living room. _"You have two weeks to think about that, Calvin,"_ With that, it looked as if he attacked the helicopter, and the feed was lost.

"Whoa," Codie said. "Is he…that pokémon? But how?"

"Morgan fancied transforming other people into pokémon," Molly said. "I guess he finally lost his mind, thinking it was wiser to do it to himself."

"But that's the same exact pokémon that attacked Alto Mare, no?" Bianca asked. "How could he have done that so quickly?"

I was paralyzed with shock. For so long this man looked like a joke through my eyes, and just like that, he pulled another fast one, and was now the strongest being on the face of the planet. If he wasn't bluffing, then this could pose a threat to the welfare of the Celadon citizens…and eventually the world. Still, I couldn't juggle their welfare around on a guess; with my name among the public, they could hold me responsible.

* * *

At the crack of dawn the next morning, reporters gathered outside Calvin's house, both in the canal and on the boardwalk. Molly looked down at them through the second floor window. This was probably the worst position her father could be in. Her hopes rose when she spotted a gray-haired woman approaching the wave of reporters. It made more sense for her to come and visit Calvin on foot rather than by teleporting and risk being caught on camera.

"Excuse me," A reporter called to her. "Do you know Calvin Winthrop?"

Arceus had had many interviews with reporters in the past, so she knew very well, how to negotiate with them. She also knew how to scare them off if they got on her nerves. "Yes, I do." Soon, the wave of people shifted from Calvin's front door to encircle her on the narrow boardwalk. She sighed, and pushed through the crowd. "However, if I'm asked another question on the subject, you'll be swimming for your lives."

The crowd went silent. She smiled, and knocked on his front door. Molly let her in, and quickly closed it behind her.

"Wow…what did you do?"

"I threatened them," Molly's jaw dropped. "That will only last a few more seconds…" Soon after, the crowd returned to the front door, arguing with questions. "As you can see, they're resilient. Where's your father?"

"H-He's out on the terrace."

She nodded, and followed the hallway into the kitchen and out onto the terrace. Calvin was sitting against the wall, with Codie and Shaymin in the grass not too far away. Her eyes widened.

"Calvin!" He looked up.

"Arceus!" He jumped to his feet. "Thank you for—" She pointed to Codie. "Oh…well, I—"

"A-Arceus?" Codie asked in surprise.

Between her surprise and Arceus' anger, he felt even worse. "Look, I explained it to her when Morgan attacked the city. She really helped protect Shaymin."

She sighed. "Who else?"

"Well, now that it's out of the box," He continued. "Matthew, Bianca, and Lorenzo. But you can trust all of them to keep a secret."

"Latias has told me stories of the two," She replied. "And Matthew is in far more of a predicament to reveal a secret of yours."

"Yeah…" Calvin sat back down. "He's not the only one."

"Calvin, I saw what happened. You don't necessarily have to do this alone."

"Apparently, I do." He said. "If I show up with help, those people are going to suffer," She sat down in the bench and tried suggesting something, but he caught on. "No, we can't use shape shifters. I don't have powers, remember? That's the reason he challenged me to this battle." He got up. "All these years as third in command, I've only been winning battles with good planning, luck, and because of this sword. Truthfully with me, it's been a ride. But I've never had to stand and fight in a battle _alone__._ Every last one of Morgan's plans has failed because of me, so now he wants to kill me, and he knows he'll win as a super powerful pokémon."

"Calvin, you're not scared, are you?"

"…no," He said. "But there is a chance that I could get killed."

She sighed. "So basically you're not afraid of dying. Just tell me: how strong is he, assuming he took the role of the pokémon he created?"

"With the full power of Dragon, Psychic, and Flying, that would make him…unstoppable," He said. "With Psychic he can read my thoughts, anticipating my every move. Even if I had Molly's star, he would still be too fast for me. Assuming he's at full power, he knows Hyper Beam and Giga Impact, and any other attack that could potentially vaporize me."

"I will need to see the sword," She said. "I'll see what I can do to help it protect you far greater than it currently does," He nodded. He knew that she was trying her best to help protect him. "You have two weeks, Calvin. That also gives you more than enough time to prepare."

"Right," I said. "I'd need to know swordsmanship, of course, because a few swings aren't going to cut it," He paced. "Yeah…this just might work."

"There you go," She placed her hand on the side of his face. "Keep that up, and you will win for sure."

"Or stand a chance."

She shrugged. I gave her the sword, and walked into the kitchen. Codie tugged at my shirt.

"Was that really…Arceus?"

"In human form, yes," I said. "You'll probably get to see her real form someday."

* * *

For the next three days, Gallade, Latias, and I spent all our time together, training in a large canyon in Sinnoh, with pillar-shaped rock formations meant to be platforms. The weather was freezing and I was only wearing light clothing, but they justified it by saying that the weather slowed me down, thereby increasing my agility if I were to be in a warmer climate, such as Kanto. I was given a lead sword to replace the Archaic Sword, and Gallade taught me all he knew about swordsmanship, while Latias taught me all she knew about agility. My confidence actually rose when they teamed up on me, but then dropped again when I was asked to do it blindfolded.

Gallade jumped from pillar to pillar, around me in a circle. Then he unexpectedly jumped to my pillar and tried to fight me off of it. I blocked with my sword. I was wearing the blindfold, because with Latias' DNA, Morgan could unexpectedly make himself invisible. I had trained all last night to survey my surroundings, so I had a good idea of where the other pillars were. I pushed Gallade back and jumped to another pillar. I used my ears to concentrate on where Latias was, but since she was levitating…somewhere, she was physically and mentally invisible.

'Where are you, Latias?' I thought.

_"__It depends on how much you learned!"_

My ears twitched. The quality of air was slowly deteriorating, which meant that something was approaching me. I stepped back, as my pillar shook violently and started to tip over into the canyon. I jumped to the safety of another pillar where Gallade was waiting. I spun around, aiming the sword at him, which he blocked, and threw away. I strafed to the side as he tried to strike me, leaned back to avoid a roundhouse kick. I forgot that he was half Fighting type. I supported myself with the sword, brought myself back up, and attempted to sweep him off his feet, but he had jumped to another pillar. The air quality deteriorated again, but this time I could hear the attack approaching, like a missile.

"Hyper Beam?" I back flipped off of the pillar as it exploded. I landed on another pillar, but just barely. When I caught my balance, I felt something sharp against my neck. Gallade had me cornered. "Damn it!"

He removed his arm. _"You're getting better."_

"Yeah, but that's the third time that that's happened," My ears twitched again as Latias approached us, and I turned in her direction. "Hyper Beam? Was that necessary?"

_"__You never know what Morgan will do,"_ She said. _"It could come in handy. So how do you feel?"_

"A lot better than I did a few days ago," I said, pulling off the blindfold. "By now and next week, I'll be more than ready."

_"__It's good that your hopes are—"_ She stopped mid-sentence, and looked away. Her eyes widened, and she looked at me again.

"What's wrong, Latias?"

_"_…_Arceus needs to see you, now," _She said, in an uneasy tone._ "It's urgent."_

I nodded, and we formed a triangle and teleported to the Samiya. At the entrance of the hall, Molly was pacing, and rushed to hug me when we arrived.

"Ugh, you're so cold!"

"You're telling me," I said. "What's wrong?"

She pulled me by the arm into the hall where Arceus was waiting. She had summoned all of us to discuss something. At first, I thought it was about the sword, which it was; it was lying, sheathed, on the table, but her facial expression said otherwise.

* * *

"Arceus? What's wrong?" Calvin asked. "Is everything alright? Is the sword ready?"

"Yes, but…there is something else," She said. "…Morgan has shortened your time limit."

"What? By how much?"

"By nine days," They originally had two weeks. Calvin took off the amount of says it took to train, and then took off Morgan's new amount. That only left him with…

"One day," He mumbled. "Tomorrow…he's so impatient that he can't keep his word? I only just started to train!"

"Calvin, calm down," She gave him the sword. "Not only will it protect you from physical attacks, but it will protect you from a wide variety now. Morgan can't possibly anticipate this."

He took it. "Thank you, Arceus. This means a lot."

"Dad, come on," Molly said. "We need to at least formulate a plan."

"Right," He said warily. "Molly, can I borrow your star for a moment?"

"Sure," She gave him the star. He placed it in the guard. They then formed a group. "Now, if we can get Morgan's teams away from the exits of the city, then people can start to evacuate."

_"__But he can read minds,"_ Latias said. _"If he as much as touches Calvin, won't he know that we're doing this?"_

"Yeah, you're right," Molly started to think. "But, it sounds like Morgan only wants to deal with dad. I think if he shows up on his own and the match starts, he won't have a care for anything else."

_"__We'll need a team,"_ Gallade added. _"We got lucky, holding him and his operatives off, back in Alto Mare. We need to be prepared for anything he throws at us."_

"Matt could help," Molly went on. "Cora and Serena are stronger than I thought. And we'll have Millie, Typhlosion, Electivire, Mismagius, and Star. That would make eleven of us. I don't care what Morgan says. We can't just sit around and do nothing—"

"Calvin?" Arceus called. Everyone turned around, but he had vanished. "Where did he go?"

_"__He's probably somewhere in the temple."_

With that, they summoned Manaphy and she aided them in searching the temple for Calvin. With the help of the water chutes, they started from the very top and worked their way through an intricate maze of hallways, stairs, and grand rooms. Molly and Gallade searched two levels, but could not find him. Arceus remained in the hall and tried contacting him through his thoughts, but there was no response from within the temple. When everyone regrouped their search was complete, they still had not found Calvin. Molly then started to wonder why her father had asked for her star when he clearly didn't need it, and then they all drew it to one conclusion.

Calvin had vanished to parts unknown on the eve of battle.

* * *

As much as I appreciated what everyone was doing for me, it was clear that this was a dead end battle. Now with no time to continue training, I was in fear for my life. Apart from Mesprit, there was only one other person I could ask for advice right now, and as I stood on a rocky path by the ocean back in Sinnoh at sunset, Cresselia appeared. She looked at me with curiosity.

"Calvin," She said quietly. "I heard your call."

"Thanks for coming," He said. "Cresselia…do you know what's been going on these last few weeks?"

"Not much since we parted," She replied. "Is there something wrong? You look troubled."

I rubbed my eyes. "A few days ago, Morgan challenged me to a one on one match."

"Well, that's great," She said. "Maybe you can finally put an end to all of this. After all, he's only human."

I didn't respond.

"Something tells me that he's done something to change that."

"…he merged with that pokémon he created," I continued. "I don't know how he did it, but…he now has the DNA of some of the strongest legendary pokémon in the world, running through his veins. He's looking to put an end to it all."

"I see," She said. "Well, you'll figure out something."

"Figure out what?" I asked. "I'm all out of ideas! Nothing's going to change what's going to happen tomorrow! He's going to kill me. Dammit, this was bound to happen!"

"This is another side of you, Calvin," She said, ignoring what I just said. "One I don't think I'm too pleased with. Arceus has told me of your credentials. You rescued her, didn't you?"

"Not by myself."

"That's not the point," She continued. "You would never back down from something like this, even if it cost you everything."

I reflected on Mateo's battle. I nearly died from trying to stop him, but prevailed. I had planned some of the most arguable, yet most effective battle plans in the last seven years, but when it came to doing something for myself, I was helpless.

"I'm…I'm scared, Cresselia," I confessed. "I know I told everyone that I wasn't but in truth, it's what terrifies me the most. When I landed on that ice seven years ago and broke my leg, I knew it was over, but Molly and Latias risked their lives to save mine," I turned back to her. "That's not the case here. If I don't go into battle, there could be genocide in Celadon, and not only will they hold me and the rest of my family responsible, I'll have to live with that for the rest of my life. If I do, the citizens are spared, but there's a chance that I might die instead."

"Calvin…honestly, I think you should go into battle," I looked at her in shock. "But that's not my decision. The answer will appear before you, and you must do what you feel is right."

I sighed. "Thank you for the advice, Cresselia."

She nodded, and for some reason I insisted on hugging her. She blushed, but I looked past this. I slowly backed away, and walked into the forest. Cresselia bid me goodbye and disappeared.

* * *

Latias had returned from Alto Mare to see if Calvin had gone home, but he wasn't there either. With hope fading and time running out, Arceus called a minority of the legendries to a meeting. She was trying to assemble a search party to search for him. Lugia, Giratina, Rayquaza, Raikou, Mesprit, and Celebi had all come to her aid. They all owed Calvin one way or another.

"Thank you for coming," Molly said to them.

_"__Anytime,"_ Giratina said. _"Just why did Calvin disappear in the first place?"_

"Morgan is challenging him to a one on one," Molly said. Giratina chuckled. "And then after that, he revealed that he had fused with the pokémon he created."

_"__Oh,"_ He stopped laughing. _"Well that would explain the anomalies in my world. But how could he fuse with someone still inhabiting a body?"_

"I'm not sure, but we have to look for dad."

Cresselia appeared. Calvin didn't owe her anything, but she deserved to be here. Molly greeted her kindly. "Thank you for coming, Cresselia. I'm Molly."

_"__Ah, Calvin's daughter,"_ Molly nodded. _"What seems to be the problem, Arceus?"_

"Calvin has gone missing," She replied. "I don't blame him. He was under stress and when he found out that the match had been rescheduled to tomorrow…oh, we should've helped…"

_"__Wait, he's missing now?"_ Cresselia asked. _"That can't be right; I just finished speaking to him."_

"What?" The mood changed. Everyone turned to Cresselia, who became nervous. "What did he say? Where is he?"

_"__In my defense, I did not know that he was missing,"_ She replied. _"He was terrified that he might lose his life, and he asked for my advice. I told him to do what he felt was right."_

"Well then if he's not here, and he's not at home," Molly looked at everyone. "Then…"

* * *

Once I finished acquiring some new gear, I teleported to Kanto, and landed with a thud on Route 7. The air quality was horrible, filled with smoke and cinders. The night sky was lit by the orange color of raging fires. I got up, brushed myself off, and pulled Kisaki's crystalline medallion out of my pocket.

"Wish me luck," I mumbled. After saying a prayer on the medallion, I took a deep breath and walked the short distance to Celadon.

* * *

Millie tossed and turned in her sleep once more. She was having the same nightmare that plagued her almost three months ago. When she opened her eyes, she was once again, drifting in an endless space, and a familiar set of green eyes greeted her.

_"__Millie,"_ The voice echoed. _"Please tell me that he's figured it out."_

"…no," She sighed. "He hasn't. He's been concerned about my welfare, that's as far as it has gotten."

_"__He may lose his life in the next few hours,"_ The voice continued. _"There's nothing we can do to help him. As I speak, your time in this world dwindles. You have less than three days before…"_

"Before my time is up," She said sadly. "I've enjoyed my every moment I've spent with him. I couldn't ask for it any other way. But if I have to die trying to convince him, then so be it."

_"__I'm sorry it has to end this way, Millie,"_ The eyes closed, and Millie awoke to the inside of Calvin's bedroom. She got up, prepared to fulfill her mission, only stopping at Calvin and Emelina's wedding photo. Tears formed in her eyes, and she placed it face-down on the dresser. She left the house and dove into the canal, bound for her final destination—Kanto. There was no plan B to her mission. It was all or nothing.

* * *

**The beginning of the end. The prologue is finally one step closer to being explained. I hope you enjoyed reading this chapter, because unfortunately someone _is_ going to die…but let me not reveal anything.**


	22. All Or Nothing I

**I couldn't have written these three chapters any other way. Much like the first installment, these three chapters are all three parts to one whole chapter. I hope you enjoy reading.**

* * *

Molly was determined to aid her father, before he was killed by Morgan's maniacal hand. Early that morning, She, Latias, and Gallade returned to Alto Mare. Latias, upon arrival, was overcome with a wave of uneasiness and left the two standing on a desolate street. The city was deserted; the civilians were in their homes, tuning into their TV sets to await the fate of the Celadonians if Calvin didn't show, in less than four hours—sunrise. Molly left Gallade to gather the rest of the team while she made a beeline for the restaurant, where everyone had retreated to watch.

"Mrs. Morgan," Molly said, bursting in and causing everyone to jump in fear. "Sorry about that, but I have to speak to Matthew for a moment."

Matthew wasn't responding, nor was anyone else. Upon inquiry, he hesitantly turned around and looked towards her, preparing to break the news.

"I…I told her everything, Molly."

Her jaw dropped. "You what?"

"That's right," Caitlyn replied, averting her stare from the TV screen to look at Molly. "He told me everything about your suicidal plan to go an aid your father and I will not hear of it."

"Mrs. Morgan, I will not stand on the sidelines and watch him kill my father!" She yelled. "Can't you see it? He's gone mad with power, and the only way he can express that is by killing him!"

"I know that, Molly—"

"No, you don't!" She said angrily. "Matthew's coming with me, whether you like it or not. I need his help, and he knows that, and you can say anything to prove us wrong, but—"

"Molly, I'm not stopping you!" She shouted. "I'm…I'm just wishing you…good luck."

"Wait…what?" Matthew joined her, as did Cora and Serena. "You believe in us?"

"No, I do not," She replied. "Nor do the others. But it would be foolish to stop you know. Molly, you know more about this man than anyone, even us. If you know what he's capable of, then I suggest you try to put an end to it."

I smiled. "Thank you, Mrs. Morgan."

"And you better hurry," She continued. "Its four hours until dawn and your father hasn't shown."

"What?" She looked at the TV screen. Cameramen were capturing footage from wherever they found it safe. Morgan was waiting in its center, but she knew him. If he could shorten Calvin's time from two weeks to a day, he would soon grow impatient yet again.

Gallade knocked on the front glass. Molly and the others stepped outside again, as he greeted them with a frantic expression. Molly looked down the road as the rest of the team approached and did a head count, before stopping to realize that one was missing. "Gallade, where's Millie?"

_"__I don't know!"_ He replied. _"I've checked the house, and she's not there. I was hoping that she was here."_

"No…that means she's missing?" With her father out of the picture, she needed all the power she could find, but without Millie, there was a gap in the team's defenses. To make matters worse, Latias reappeared, eyes streaming with tears. "Latias, what happened?"

_"__The Soul Dew is gone!"_ She cried, casting horrid looks from Lorenzo and Bianca's faces. _"I checked the garden repeatedly, but I can't find it!"_ Molly started to ask a question, but Latias quickly anticipated by streaming her thoughts. _"No! The Soul Dew is to never leave the garden, ever! Morgan must have taken it while we were gone!"_

"If anything, he's taken it with him, to Celadon," By now, Molly was at a loss. Latias was too distraught to battle and Millie was AWOL. The team that she had hoped would break her into Celadon was now severely weakened, beyond limit. Time was passing, and they had no other choice but to continue the plan.

Gallade aided Latias in the transport, and with a bright flash, the entire group teleported to the major outlying forest beyond the eastern gate of Celadon. To the south, Cycling Road could be seen dancing across the ocean and about a mile up ahead was the gate house, and beyond was the burning city of Celadon. Ash laced the tree leaves all around them as they neared. "Look," Molly pointed to the sky, and they all stopped and glanced at it. They saw the smoke rising from over the eastern gate, as perceived from the TV just a few days before. Suddenly, a small flash and the sound of an explosion were seen and heard, portraying a similar scene like the one from Alto Mare.

"It's Morgan…" Molly exclaimed; the worry was rising in her voice. "He's doing more damage…"

_"__It can't be Morgan. He's in the middle of the crater waiting for Calvin…boy, is he going to be disappointed__,__"_ Gallade began, sarcastically. _"He could easily draw Morgan out of hiding, and as we witnessed, Morgan can easily place him there. Calvin was hell bent on stopping the man, but is he here to do that?"_

Molly looked at him. "Gallade—"

"NO!" He shouted furiously, both in telepathy and in speech. His voice rang throughout the forest, sending birds nearby into a frantic flight. Molly looked at him with disbelief, feeling as if she could explode from his anger. _"And do you want to know why? He left us to fend for ourselves and for the people of Celadon to die!"_

There was a long, silent pause.

"…I can't believe you just said that, Gallade." Molly said, in a distraught tone. She put her hand on her chest and left him with an expression of extreme distaste.

"But Molly…Gallade has a point," Mathew added. "How can you continue to defend Mr. Winthrop when we need him more than ever? He just left, he didn't even warn us…"

"I can, because he's my father!" She said to them in defense.

_"__Molly…they just don't understand Calvin's motives…"_ Latias said, being able to sense the negative emotions that Molly was trying to endure.

"How can you guys honestly stand there and disrespect dad like this?" Molly began. "Look at all the things he's done for you! What more can you expect from him?"

_"__I expected him to be here, like he was, seven years ago!"_ Gallade said.

"Look, whatever dad is doing, and why ever he left us…I'm pretty sure it was a good reason," She said. "Yes I understand he didn't tell us anything, and yes we do need him now more than ever, but I'm not going to let you guys just stand here and badmouth him! Especially you, Gallade! We have bigger problems!"

_"__He left us…TO FEND FOR OURSELVES!"_ Gallade exclaimed angrily. _"We've been through thick and thin, Calvin and I, but he would never, and I mean NEVER, back down from a battle, even if it risked everything," _Gallade sighed, and the entire group knew he didn't want to have to look at this alternative, but…_ "What if…what if he switched sides?"_

"GALLADE, STOP IT!" Molly yelled.

_"__Think about it, first!"_ He said in defense. _"He and Millie disappeared with your star, Cresselia told him to do what he felt was right, and he was terrified of dying…why not…why not join the enemy?"_

"Because…" Molly began to think. What if her father _was_ in on the whole plan with Morgan? It explained why he went AWOL on them, as did Millie. But it didn't make any sense; her father vowed to put an end to this for the greater good…

"…he wouldn't…" She mumbled, not sounding too reassuring. The image of Calvin being on the same side with Ely Morgan started to run through her mind constantly, like a broken record. Latias quickly noticed this and dragged her away from the rest of the group.

_"__What are you thinking?"_ Latias asked. _"__You're going to let them convince you that Calvin sold us out? Molly, they feel like they've been betrayed, so they're willing to believe any alternative that sounds correct. Come on, you and I both know Calvin better than that! You know he wouldn't!"_

"Yes I know Latias,"She replied. "But…what if they're right? I just can't fathom dad doing that…"

_"__You're losing faith Molly! You mustn't!"_

"But—"

_"__BUT NOTHING!"_ She exclaimed, growling. _"STOP DOUBTING HIM! HE WILL NOT ABANDON US!" Just you watch, he'll come back…"_

The two stared at each other, and Molly slowly nodded. Molly turned back to the group, cast them sinister looks, and continued walking. Latias tagged closely behind, and eventually they did the same.

* * *

The night was brisk, as Bane and Frankie stood guard in front of the eastern gate of Celadon City. It was very much expected, for early October. There was a slight breeze blowing in, from the north. The sky was a clear blue; the stars and moon were out, with streaks of clouds, giving the sky a marble-like appearance. It was truly a beautiful night for everything except the city. "No one gets in, and no one sure as hell gets out," was the rule—and their only instruction. They stood there like two menacing giants; waiting to hammer anyone they deemed to be a threat to their plan.

"I wonder…why does Dr. Morgan need us to watch guard?" Frankie asked loudly, breaking the silence. "It's not like the people who escape are gonna find any refuge outside this place," Bane scoffed.

"I don't question Morgan," He replied, having known him for much longer than his partner. "Morgan needs the people as bait to ensure that this guy comes out, to battle. Plus, they might seek his help if they escape."

"You mean Calvin?" Bane glared at him with an obvious look. "Yeah, Julie told me about what he did to her Houndoom…lucky bastard," He leant against the wall. "But who the hell would team up with him? I mean, have you seen Dr. Morgan's power? Do you know what he's capable of? 'Cause I sure as hell didn't before I saw what he did to the city!" He pointed backwards. Unfortunately, he was working Bane's last nerve.

"No, I don't know," Bane lied. "But I heard it's big."

"How big?"

"Pretty damn big!" He barked, irritated.

"Oh man…" Frankie slid to the ground next to his sleeping Salamence. "And we're stuck out here guarding this deserted route."

"What's the matter?" Bane taunted. "Scared? Cold?"

"I'm from Snowpoint City: we know cold."

It seemed as if every attempt to shut Frankie up only irritated him more. Bane shook his head and returned to his post. He looked into the distance and saw the figure of a human approaching them, and the Eastern Gate. His mental alarm rose and he widened his eyes. "Frankie, we've got company!" Frankie, who was adjusting his military-style jacket, adhered to Bane's calls and glanced at the person approaching them. Bane thought for a moment that it was finally Calvin arriving, but as it drew nearer that masculine body shape morphed into that of a slender, feminine one. As she approached the light, it became clear to them—it was none other than Celadon's own gym leader, Erika! As she stormed towards the gate, Bane and Frankie blocked her path, terra cotta style, closing off the gateway to the other side. She stopped dead in her tracks at their sight.

"Excuse me," She said sternly.

"No one passes. Dr. Morgan's orders," Frankie declared. "That goes for you too, gym leader."

"Do I look like I care what "Dr. Morgan's" orders are?" Erica responded. "Let me into the city."

"No one goes in, that's it. Go back to where you came from, _now_," Bane reiterated, in a much more aggressive tone than his counterpart. Erika moved closer to them and got in Bane's face.

"Look…I don't care who you are or who you work for. I walked all the way from Saffron City and I'm not going anywhere but _into_ Celadon City. Now you're going to take yourself and your little pet friend over here, and you're going to get out of my way. I don't want to have to pull out my pokémon on you…" She threatened, as she pulled out a pokéball.

"…_pet_?" Frankie repeated, with a sinister tone.

Bane was quite pleased by this comment, though; it managed to shut Frankie up for once that night. He wasn't however, going to turn down the offer to a pokémon battle. Bane pulled out a pokéball as well. "Funny. I was thinking the same thing. But the only thing different was you, heading back to Saffron."

"She called me a pet…" Frankie uttered, under his breath.

* * *

The team reached the eastern gate, and was spared the battle, when Bane and Morgan's other operative lay paralyzed in the grass beside their pokémon. Molly walked up to Bane and knelt beside him. "It hurts, doesn't it?"

"Get away from me!" He growled.

"My dad did this to you?"

"…no, he hasn't…even arrived yet," He replied. Molly grew concerned again. "It was that blasted gym leader, Erika! She was far stronger than we anticipated, and I had the advantage!"

"It sure does suck, to be you," Molly grabbed his jacket and picked him up. "Because if Morgan can threaten my father by killing the residents of this city, what's to say he won't do the same to you, for failing him?"

"…you don't think I know that?"

Molly's eyes widened. "What?"

"The man has gone mad with power," Bane replied. "I was hoping your father would come to appease him, but he hasn't. Even _I_ would never stoop this low."

Molly smiled. "Latias, do you have anything to say?"

Latias joined Molly, looked at Bane only once, before hitting him across the face. Molly let him go and he dropped to the ground again, unconscious. _"That's for torturing Molly, last year."_

The team then proceeded through the gate and into the war-torn city. Molly checked her watch: only thirty minutes left, until sunrise.

"You guys go on ahead," Molly said. "I want to stay here."

_"__For what?"_

"…I'm going to wait until dad arrives."

While the rest of the team acknowledged her decision, both with disappointment and with acceptance, Matthew stuck behind. "You really think he's going to come, huh?"

"I know he is," Molly responded.

Matthew spun her around. "Molly, look at me…look at me! Your father's got less than thirty minutes before my father starts tearing this town apart! I know you want him to come, and so do we, but…there's nothing to say that he will, _if_ he's not here already."

Molly stared at him, finally having enough of his pessimistic remarks, but as the glow of the sun started washing over the two of them, tears welled up in her eyes, and she broke down in his arms.

* * *

The sun began to rise on what was formerly recognized as Celadon City. The shattered glass windows littered the streets. Anyone who walked barefoot would surely have stories written on their soles. The gym was nonexistent, as it had been reduced to a heap of steel and ash. The pool of water at the glorious fountain had been completely drained. The city was not a city anymore. It was a ghost town. Not a voice could be heard, not a body to be found, not a smell to be sniffed, and yet, in this absence, people were hiding—in fear, unable to leave their homes, or the limits of the city, for that matter. They were stranded here to await their deaths, if the man asked for did not show. Morgan, who was waiting patiently at the end of the road, started to lose that, which the civilians cherished.

'I am getting sick of this!' Morgan raised his paw. Almost as if possessed, a mother and her child were dragged out of a nearby building. They fought helplessly against his will, but he proved to be the better match. He dropped them to their knees. Her daughter rushed into her arms, as Morgan sealed their fate, forming a ball of energy in his hands.

"Don't do this," She begged, looking up at him. "Don't you have a heart?"

He paused for a moment. _"I did, once…but that does not excuse insolence."_

"No, please, don't!" Morgan, having gone mad with power, expanded the ball of energy to three times its size. Molly and the rest of the team peered around the edge of an alley, to witness this. They were too far away to do anything, when Morgan started to thrust his attack downwards. A man driven to any extent to get what he wanted. The mother of the child tried everything to shield her with her body, so that maybe she would be spared, but unfortunately she was doing this in vain.

The fatal attack was interrupted when Morgan retreated backwards, in pain and disbelief, when Celadon's savior performed a flying kick to his chest. In a fit of rage, Calvin landed once Morgan caught his balance, unsheathed the sword and summoned a dark attack to its blade, and swept it under him.

"How dare you, summon me into battle," He said striking him again. "And put the price of these people on my HEAD?" He twirled, striking Morgan in the chest with the sword. Morgan flew back into a building. He looked at the mother and her child. "Are you all right?" They both nodded slowly, but surely. Soon, the building around Morgan's demise started to rattle. "Get out of here, now!" Morgan emerged from the rubble, returned to Calvin's airspace, and flailed his arm into Calvin's jaw, sending him flying dozens of feet away, and into the midst of the enormous crater. Calvin caught his senses and back-flipped midair, and landed roughly, bur safely. He stood up, and looked across at Morgan. "You have me where you want me. Leave these people out of this."

"Oh, but a deal is a deal," He exclaimed lightly. "I could care less what happens to those people now."

The two circled each other. Calvin braced himself, ad Morgan approached again, flailing his arm once more. Calvin shielded himself with the sword once more, and attempted to jab Morgan with it. Morgan strafed, summoned an attack and threw it into Calvin's side. He anticipated this, but not quickly enough, and was tossed helplessly through the air again. He landed painfully, on the rocky surface, and used the sword to support himself. He spat the blood out of his mouth, and feigned a laugh.

"You're in no position to laugh, Calvin," Morgan said.

He sighed. "Well, if you want to kill me so bad, you might as well do it fair and square. I've been looking at that same armor for almost a year now, and it's getting on my nerves."

"…I suppose you're right," He said, undoing his armor. Under the fingers that assumed his hands, gray oval-shaped paws appeared. Calvin's laugh faded to a cough. "Why withhold your misery…" With body armor detached, it revealed a sleek build, with a black triangular symbol imprinted on his gray chest fur. Thin, stiff wings were finally released from their protective cocoon, and by taking off the helmet and throwing it to the side he completed this masterpiece, and a discolored eon dragon now levitated before him. "…when I can deal it so much better with no restraints?"

Morgan circled Calvin, snickering at his facial expression. The sword trembled in his hand. During the course of the encounter, he was determined to kill Morgan, but after witnessing his true form, he didn't know whether to attack or not—it was both a friend and a foe.

"What's the matter, Calvin?" Morgan asked. "You look like you've seen a ghost."


	23. All Or Nothing II

Calvin's arms were too numb to move; to numb to draw the sword up, for his defense. Morgan continued circling him, snickering. His body could be seen pulsating with energy, so much that he was actually starting to re-absorb the energy around him, and with every pass Calvin started to feel increased weariness.

"This is your project," He finally mumbled. "This is your clone—Latios."

"So, you've figured it out," He said, finally stopping, while increasing energy output. "I suppose you get a few questions before I kill you."

"Yeah," Calvin said. "Where did you get the DNA from?"

"A few of Team Rocket's executives," He replied, resulting in a confused expression from Calvin. "Oh yes. I know about what happened in Alto Mare seven years ago."

"Sorry, but I don't," Calvin responded. "I was too busy rescuing the people you abducted."

Morgan rattled with anger, and his energy started to rage, but he regained his composure. "There was fur, from the Eon Dragon, Latios, littered all over them. It was just fur, but keep in mind: this was seven years ago. We've had enough time to isolate the DNA and forge a new body."

"What made you so interested in cloning _him_?" He asked. "I don't get it."

"…It dates back to my research," He replied. "I searched for that pokémon with immeasurable power. When I heard about the incident in Alto Mare, I started to wonder, that after weakened by a machine that could potentially kill it, the Latios still had enough power to spare the city from a devastating tsunami. Maybe, that was my chance. Stronger than all the others, with the grace of life and a touch of human knowledge, we forged a new pokémon, but under my will, this time. There wasn't a chance that he would ever disobey me."

Calvin looked at Morgan, and finally figured it all out. He wasn't taking the DNA of the other three legendries because he wanted more power; he needed it because a single strand of Latios' DNA wouldn't have been able to support bodily structure. The tubes in the armor—that's what was keeping him alive until his body had acquired the properties it lacked. The discoloration resembled the gray fur from Lugia, and the powers he now possessed were all some sort of fortuitous side effect.

"All of this," Calvin waved his arm around. "For what Morgan? FOR WHAT?"

"…You," Morgan retaliated. "From since I met you, it's been nothing but hell. And I can't continue my plans with someone like you in my way."

"You abducted three legendries! You thought I was gonna let you get away with that?" He asked. "not only that, I still want to kill you for what you did to Molly."

"And if you take a close look at me now, that won't happen," He responded. "Your winning streak has just come to a screeching halt."

"Morgan please, I'm sick of you and your crap!" With anger outweighing disbelief, Calvin found the strength to raise the sword once more. "Leave this city, and its people out of this!"

"Then I will have wasted all this precious time building this super legendary pokémon. And I will have wasted all attempts to finally eradicate you from existence. With this body…I am virtually invincible. How do you expect to defeat such a creature of might?"

"You aren't a god. Don't get ahead of yourself," Calvin looked at his sword, and grasped it firmly.

"Hah! With _that_ thing?" Morgan laughed. "You honestly think that your pathetic little sword is going to stop me? I bet you don't even know how to use it."

Calvin smirked, reflecting on his four short, un-regrettable days of training. "Try me."

"I'm dying to."

Calvin charged towards Morgan, sword at the ready. Morgan used his newfound body to his advantage, and they made a bee-line for each other. Calvin raised the sword and readied himself for a diagonal slash. With the tip of the blade about to make contact Morgan's chest, he in turn, created a force field of psychic energy and repelled Calvin. The force of impact was enough to knock the wind clear out of Calvin's lungs, and he fell on to his back, sword still in hand.

"Didn't I tell you that that sword was just a piece of metal that can't even come close to touching me?" Morgan taunted. Calvin was too busy trying to catch his breath, and began to hyperventilate. But soon enough, he stood to his feet, holding his ribs again. "Have you had enough yet?" Morgan continued to taunt. "I don't have time for these games, Winthrop." Calvin grasped his sword with both hands this time, and breathed in a huge chunk of Celadon City air.

"Not yet…" Calvin said. Morgan's facial expression turned into an angry one.

Morgan used his psychic powers to create a disc of energy. The incredible power emitting from the disc started to give Calvin a mild headache, and he squinted. Morgan then hurled the disc and aimed it straight for Calvin's throat. Speeding at nearly a hundred miles per hour, Calvin didn't have any time to dodge, but was able to swipe it away at the last second with the sword. Morgan began to hurl multiple discs at Calvin thereafter, and Calvin swiped each one of them away, with each one's contact with the ground resulting in a small explosion. Morgan hurled one last disc at him, and it clashed with Calvin's sword, and fought against the blade to take his life. Calvin's feet sank into the ground, but with one yell he re-directed it right back at Morgan with twice the speed. Morgan was not expecting this, and it him square in the face, knocking him off balance and sending him flying back onto the rocky surface. He got up, with a large cut across his face, and began to get frustrated. Calvin spotted this, and used it to his advantage.

"Did that hurt, Morgan? Or is that new body not living up to your standards?" Calvin asked. He seized the opportunity to capitalize, and as Morgan regained levitation he took the sword and swiped it across his chest. Morgan let out a huge scream as blood splattered across the ground. Calvin ran the blade across Morgan's chest again, and more blood spilled out. Morgan let out another huge scream, and sent Calvin back with another psychic force field. Morgan tried to regain his beloved battle position, but the gashes in his chest rendered him immobilized for the moment. Calvin caught his ground and stood up, with his blade dripping with that of Morgan's blood.

"Wow, that actually hurt, Winthrop. Nice moves!" Morgan said with a laugh. Calvin's hopes began to drop, when his wounds healed before his eyes. "Disappointed?"

'Dammit,' Calvin thought. 'The man knows more about that body than I do!'

_"__Of course,"_ He said, invading Calvin's thoughts. _"I've been researching this for years!"_ With that said he tackled Calvin to the ground and restrained him from the neck. Calvin gasped for air and tried fighting him, but he proved the better match. "You cannot defeat me! Just…give…UP!"

"If…if it was that easy," He said, in a struggle. "I wouldn't be here!"

Calvin kicked Morgan off of him and twirled once, summoning the Ice type to the sword and sending shards of ice into Morgan's skin. Then, by dragging the sword along the ground and raising it to the sky, a rock formation protruded underneath Morgan and knocked him sky high. Calvin ran after him, dragging the sword the entire time and repeated the process. He jumped on top of the protrusion, held the sword with both hands and used the momentum to his advantage.

"I'm so sick of this CRAP!" He slammed the sword into the ground. This caused a high-pitched sonic wave that shattered surrounding glass, and as much as Morgan tried to protect himself, he fell victim to it as well, being blown backwards and deeper into the crater. Dust whipped up around him, but Calvin wasn't done yet. "All the years…all the people…all the bullshit!" With every pause, he swung the sword through the air, and every wave of energy that was cast increased in power. His last wave was far different from the others, and was pitch-black like before, and exploded violently on contact with the ground.

The dust settled. Calvin raised the sword in defense and walked towards the center of the crater. He could feel the power, raging through his body with every footstep neared. His adrenaline was pumping, and his heart was racing. His teeth and fists were clenched. He felt as if he could explode with anger at any moment. The form of a black aura outlined him; the energy combined with his rage and the power the star gave him was increasing ecstatically. He looked down upon Morgan, feeling as if he could finally defeat him, and end the madness. He suddenly had the urge to drive the sword right through Morgan's heart and watch him die slowly. The pain and death he had dealt the hundreds of people before this day, would finally diminish forever…

Calvin's eyes became discolored for a moment, but quickly reverted to their original colors when he realized what he was thinking. It happened again—in fact, this wasn't the first. Back in Alto Mare, and three times before that, he was suddenly driven by rage and anger, and it felt as if it was somehow getting stronger. He took a deep breath, and closed his eyes. Upon doing so, his ears commandeered his field of vision, drawing out what was heard to be a sharp deterioration in the air beside him. He opened his eyes, and although he couldn't see anything, he swung the sword anyway, drawing a line of blood in the air. It was followed by a yell, and a pair of eyes, and finally, Morgan's entire form.

"You call it coincidence," Calvin said. "I call it luck!"

Calvin brought the sword down on Morgan, but miraculously, he caught the blade with his bare paw, simultaneously healing his previous injury. He looked down upon Calvin, now having been pushed to the limit, and threw him, and the sword against a boulder. Calvin dropped to the ground, curling up in pain.

"Honestly, I thought I could kill you easily," Morgan snarled. "But you live up to your annoyance, Calvin Winthrop!" He grabbed Calvin's coat and threw him helplessly threw the air. Calvin landed and rolled three times before getting back up, twirling the sword again, and launching an impressive fire attack at his opponent. Now blinded with anger, Morgan parted the fire wave in two, and struck the ground with his paw. "YOU HAVE MADE A FOOL OUT OF ME, LONG ENOUGH!"

His action tore up the surface of the crater, and in a similar fashion, a protrusion of rock struck Calvin in the chest, breaking three of his ribs and ejecting him backwards through the air once more, and through the glass of a nearby high rise. He landed on a table, rolled, and dropped to the floor, before screaming with pain and curling himself up into a ball.

_"__Just stay down, Calvin!"_ His inner conscience yelled to him. _"You're going to die, and you know it! Just stay down!"_

"No!" He yelled, grabbing the sword, and while still gripping his chest, he got back up. He sat in a nearby chair, and spat the blood out of his mouth. "If he wins, they all die! I can't let that happen!"

Then he thought of something…he had never had a discussion with his conscience before.

All of a sudden, something shot through the open window, which turned out to be a spear made up of some sort of energy. It continued to the ceiling, but did not lodge itself; it burned through the roof of the apartment and continued towards the upper floor. Calvin looked at the hole it made, and then back at the window, as Morgan appeared, forming hundreds more of the same spear around him. He ducked for cover, as the building's walls became meaningless in the wake of the attack. He ran across the living room, and into the kitchen, as walls and furniture became no more, being obliterated by the spears. One grazed his arm, and another grazed his leg, and as he stumbled he spotted another exit: another window, but it was his only chance. He covered his head and lunged forward, as the glass shattered around him, and with gravity soon impending. He spun the sword in a circle, faster and faster, whipping up a small tornado, which slowed him down and softened his fall as he landed hard on the asphalt of the street below. Conscience or not, he didn't want to get up…in fact, he was getting ready to mumble three magic words until two familiar faces stalled him.

"Dad!" Molly knelt beside him. "You came!"

"Only…only to get my ass…kicked," Molly and Matthew helped him up. "What are you…doing here?"

"I couldn't just watch you get killed on a TV screen," She replied. "And the others were getting worried that you weren't going to show, and thought…that you might've sided with Morgan."

"I…I don't blame them," He said, then clenching his chest in pain again. "If that's the only way I wouldn't get killed, then yeah…"

"I can't believe _you're_ saying that…" Molly said, with tears streaming down her face. He looked at the two of them, and caught his senses. He would never join forces with this man, even if that meant saving his own life. He had fought to protect the public against something like this for too long to throw it away for his own salvation.

"Molly, where are the others?"

"They're evacuating the people," He staggered past her and Matthew. "Dad?"

"…I'm sorry, Molly…I have to end this."

"NO!" She and Matthew grabbed his arm. "Dad, look at you! He's going to kill you!"

"If I have to die trying to stop him, then so be it," He replied. "I'll stall him long enough for you to get the people out. After that…" He knelt down in front of her. "Take care of yourself, Molly."

She could not keep it together, and ran into his arms. Calvin nodded to Matthew, and he took her back, to return to the rest of her team. As they rounded a corner, Calvin turned around, to face Morgan once more. He grabbed him by the throat.

"That was touching," He said. "But you shouldn't have promised that you'll hold me off."

Calvin fought against his grip once more, but, having been wiped of most of his vitality, there was not much he could do. Morgan launched him into the air, and shot towards sky in chase of him, hitting him towards the crater. Calvin curled himself up around the sword and hoped for the best, and he made contact with the ground. Morgan sought to end the battle once and for all, and in his mouth, he started to craft his final blow—Hyper Beam.

Calvin opened his eyes, and crawled out of the crater he had formed. Thanks to Arceus' modification, he was protected for the most part, but as he returned to the surface world, his fate was sealed. Morgan launched his attack.

* * *

Molly transformed in front of Matthew, and they rounded a corner to join Latias and the others, but as they neared a set of vines became purposely tangled around Molly's neck, and she was yanked from her feet and into the side of a nearby building. Matthew spun around, and glanced at a Venusaur, headed by the city's gym leader. Molly, now enraged, grabbed the vines and started to reel the Venusaur in, while trying to rid her neck of its vines.

"Wait, stop!" Matthew yelled. "We're on your side!"

"You are all alike!" Erika yelled. "Celadon's citizens have been tortured long enough!"

Her Venusaur started to charge for a Solarbeam. Molly returned the favor, and started charging for a Hyper Beam. When Matthew realized that he wouldn't be able to get through to them in time, he stood in the path of their attacks. "You're going to have to kill me then!"

The two held their attacks. Molly held hers, not wanting to hurt Matthew and Erika stopping her Venusaur, not wanting to hurt a human, regardless of what side he was on.

"Only a fool would stand in the way of two raging pokémon!" She yelled, causing Matthew's jaw to drop. "But only if that fool wanted to prove something…"

Her Venusaur relinquished its attack, as did Molly. Erika jumped off of her companion, and strolled towards Matthew. She examined him thoroughly, and then sighed. "You're a bit too young to uphold any type of order from this "Morgan" fellow," He was willing to tell her that he was his father, but it would've placed him in a much deeper hole. Even as an ally, he felt intimidated being in her presence. "I assume you're an outsider?"

"We came to try and free the people before my d…Dr. Morgan, ever had a chance to harm them," He replied. "It's me, my Tyranitar, and a few other pokémon," With that, the others joined them. "We had a backup plan just in case Mr. Winthrop didn't show."

"I also assume you know him," He nodded. "Then we must make haste with the evacuation. The rest of my pokémon are securing the western gate. I'm heading back to continue there, so I must leave you with my trust that you will get these people to safety."

"Of course," She climbed back on top of her Venusaur and left them. Molly glared at the others.

"He's here," She said, in their speech. "Dad. He arrived, and now he's dying from Morgan's hand," She looked to Gallade. "Gallade…I understand why you felt the way you did, and I forgive you."

He nodded. _"What do you need?"_

"I don't care what he says. I'm going back to help him," She said, getting the same response from Latias and Matthew. "I need you guys to continue with the evacuation. If you don't hear from us…just go on."

They all nodded, and then turned back as the sky lit up, brighter than the morning sun, from the center of town. Morgan was preparing to launch a devastating attack, and the group split up just as he did.

* * *

Calvin didn't need to close his eyes to anticipate this attack. He had little time to think, much less to summon an attack to defend himself, and held the sword above his head with both hands in an attempt to deflect the attack, like he had done with Arceus so long ago. The attack hit the sword with such force that he swore it would've smashed the blade and vaporized him, but it held firm to its word and deflected the attack back into the sky. He was, however, not able to hold his ground with the attack and his feet slid helplessly across the rocky surface as Morgan neared him, still maintaining his attack. Calvin thought of reflecting the attack back at him and twisted the sword downwards and in his direction. The attack's power increased tenfold, but was not harming Morgan at all! Instead, it was in a continuous loop, becoming increasingly stronger, and once Calvin finally caught his ground against a rock, Morgan neared him.

"GIVE…UP!" Morgan yelled, trying everything to weaken Calvin. Calvin endured his blows and started to walk towards Morgan.

"NO!" He yelled back. "NEVER!"

"HAVE IT YOUR WAY!"

The two neared each other, and the attack neared dangerous levels, soon turning from a ray into a ball. With simultaneous yells, Calvin lunged forward, and Morgan increased his output.

The explosion that occurred afterwards incinerated surrounding buildings, and tuned rocks to dust in its wake. Through the enormous smoke cloud, Calvin was propelled backwards dozens of feet, onto one of the surrounding roads. The sword, however, landed even further behind him, and was out of accessibility. Morgan quickly recovered, having not lost any energy at all, and it finally dawned on him that the sword was protecting him after all of his encounters with him and therefore prolonging his death, but without it, he was but a simple human. Quickly utilizing his opening, he summoned some psychic energy to his paw—so much, that it started to encase it, forming a long, sharp, blunt object. Calvin, now temporarily blinded and deafened by the explosion, would not be able to use his training to anticipate Morgan's attack, and without the sword, it would be fatal.

Calvin, with ears bleeding and unable to see anything, rolled around, searching for the sword and when he could not find it, he got up, ignoring his pain and tried looking for it. He turned towards Morgan, but could not see him.

"_I'm almost sorry it has to end this way, Calvin,"_ Morgan taunted, approaching him with incredible speed. He pointed the spear forward, and aimed for his chest. Molly, Matthew, and Latias had all previously ducked for cover, and when they looked up now, they witnessed Morgan attempting to end the battle, and Calvin's life. They tried yelling to Calvin to get out of the way, but Calvin could hear nothing but his own heartbeat…

In what appeared to be a split second, a torrent of water burst through a manhole in the street, repelling both Morgan and his attack, and temporarily shielding Calvin from harm. When the water receded, his Milotic stood in its place, not willing to let anything happen to him. Morgan roared with frustration.

"YOU WILL NOT STAND IN MY WAY!" He darted towards her. She fired an Ice Beam at him. At the other edge of the crater, the others witnessed this.

"Is that…Is that…Millie?" Matthew asked his counterparts. "What is she doing?"

_"__I don't know, but it looks like it's working!"_

Morgan, still being part Dragon, was repelled in pain. Calvin's vision and hearing slowly started returning to his accessibility, and once it had cleared enough, he made out the outline of the sword a few feet away, and dove for it. Once in his hand, he rolled over, prepared to defend himself once more, but was horrified when Millie was trying so desperately to protect him instead. "No…no…MILLIE, NO!"

As Morgan struggled to deflect her attack, she increased its output. His body slowly started to freeze over, thus immobilizing him. Calvin knew that this wouldn't last very long, since he was still part Water-type, and tried calling Millie off of the attack.

"Millie, get out of here! He's bluffing!" Calvin tried getting up, but his aches and pains set in more fiercely than ever. "MILLIE! HE'S GOING TO KILL YOU!"

She closed her eyes, and turned back to look at him. "I'm already dead, anyway."

Leaving Calvin in shock, and by stopping her attack to make that remark, Morgan broke free of his icy restraints and formed a sword around his paw, and as she turned back to continue holding him off, he stabbed her, with his psychic blade cutting through her body. She shook, braving the pain as he retracted his blade, and stared at him for a few seconds before collapsing to the ground.

"…no…No!" Calvin cried. "NO!"

He attempted to stand, but having had enough, Morgan struck his paw into the ground beneath them, destabilizing the road and causing them to plummet deep into the sewers, and to an uncertain fate. He looked down at their demise for a moment, started to chuckle, and then burst into a laugh. He took to the sky and claimed his victory, roaring loud enough for the whole of Kanto to hear. Molly, Matthew, and Latias looked at the hole in the street, and then towards each other.

Was the battle over? Were Calvin and Millie…dead?


	24. All Or Nothing III

The rocks finally stopped falling. I uncovered my head and looked around. I was still alive. It took me a moment to reflect on events that happened just moments ago, and I leapt up. "Oh god no…Millie!" I struggled out of my predicament and looked around. Suddenly I heard a soft cry from a pile of rocks across from me, and I rushed to her aid. The rocks were crushing her. "Millie, stay with me!" I partially uncovered her, and she wiggled free. I fell to my knees and held her in my arms. "Don't you dare give up on me!"

"I'm…I'm sorry, Calvin…"

"No, you saved my life," And I would do the same for her. I concentrated as best I could on her wounds, but for the first time ever neither the sword nor the star reacted. "No…no, not now! Come on!"

"It won't work," She said, voice fading. "Calvin, stop."

"No, it has to!" I yelled. "I can't lose you!"

"…you never have."

I was so preoccupied with trying to get the star to work when I heard that—a very familiar sentence, which had me flash back over ten years. "What did you say?" Millie, with little energy she had left, coiled herself around me, to get me to look at her wound. With the light I had, coming down from above, I saw something glimmer in it. Slowly and carefully, I reached for it and she braved the pain, and with a now blood-covered hand, I pulled out a ring. A wedding ring, that looked like mine, but that couldn't be right, because I had my wedding ring…on…

"No, I-I buried this ring with…" She turned away. "No…you can't be…"

"Our vows…were meant to last…an eternity, Calvin," Her voice started to drift. "I just wish…you found out sooner…"

The looks…the actions…all were reminiscent of Emelina. The egg hatched just days after she had died. She must've gotten a second chance, and all these years she was trying to get me to figure it out. _This_ is what was upsetting her all summer, and I was such an idiot that I never even sat down and helped her through this until it was too late. I looked down; her eyes were starting to close.

"No…no—Emmy, stay with me!" Tears were forming in my eyes. "Please no…come on, Emmy, what's our motto!"

"Figuring…can kill you…?" I almost broke a laugh, but my lungs had gone painfully stiff. I held her tightly while tears streamed uncontrollably, down my face. "I, never for a second…doubted you, even after I died. When I was given this chance, I got so caught up…in watching you become a devoted husband and father, that my time…slowly slipped away…"

"You were trying to show me all along," I mumbled. "And I missed all of the signs…I'm so sorry, Emmy."

"Calvin…look at me." She said. "Don't you dare give up on this battle…you have to win this. Do it…do it for me, okay?"

I nodded. "I won't give up on you."

She smiled. "See you soon."

There was a moment of silence, during which I finally broke a chuckle. "Emmy…you really have to stop leaving me hanging," Her eyes had closed and she wasn't breathing. I shook her softly. "Emmy? Emmy, wake up!"

It was no use. She was gone. Paralyzed with shock and disbelief, I lay her to rest. If I had known sooner…the memories we could've shared…

As I stared at her beaten body, I knew who had caused this. He had caused not only my daughter and I nothing but pain for more than ten years, but the hundreds of others who had to witness his madness. Now he had destroyed a once beautiful city to draw me out into a battle that, now, he had better be wishing he had never asked for.

I will not fail you, Emmy. He was going to pay for this.

* * *

Morgan had grown impatient. Calvin hadn't resurfaced for more than an hour, so he decided to claim victory once and for all. Molly, Matthew, and Latias all watched as he made his announcement.

"Your hero has fallen!" His voice boomed. "You know the price you have to pay for his defeat!"

_"__Is…is that…Latios?"_ Latias asked, fleeing with the others to a safer vantage point. _"No…not our Latios…not my brother."_

"Out of all legendary pokémon, he had to have done this for a reason," Matthew responded, sharing a similar facial expression as her. "Molly…any suggestions?"

Molly didn't respond. She couldn't stand by and watch this anymore; her two companions were still in shock that her father hadn't resurfaced, and what beheld then now. With his and Millie's fates unknown, she lunged out onto the battlefield and without thinking, launched a Hyper Beam at Morgan. Fortunately he didn't see this coming and was hit head-on by the blast, but he soon recovered and deflected it and Molly ceased her attack to rest. Morgan saw this opportunity. He vanished from sight and came up close behind her, picked her up and threw her across the area, where she collided with a building but caught her ground. Debris fell down onto her back.

"A new challenger," Morgan said. "It's nothing personal, but you could've used some improvement."

Molly was no longer scared of him. He caused her pain, and she used that to her advantage. "You better hope my father is alive or I'll kill you myself!"

"You forget, Molly?" He chuckled. "I _made_ you. I know your strengths and weaknesses. It may have been a decade—" He darted over and jabbed her in a particular portion of her side. She doubled over in pain and he pinned her to the ground. "But I don't forget what I've done!"

"So…I've noticed!" She opened her mouth and released a stream of dark energy. Morgan was blown into the sky, stunned with pain. She opted for a second attack when he finally fell back to earth, whipping him with her tail and sending him flying into a building, which collapsed on contact. Molly smirked. "It didn't take rocket science to figure _that_ out!"

That only lasted a few seconds; debris covering Morgan turned to dust and he unleashed a blast of psychic energy. Molly stood her ground, seemingly knowing that this wouldn't affect her, but this time it was different. The psychic waves whipped her off her feet, and although it wasn't enough to penetrate her rock hard skin, it did a considerable amount of damage to it to render her immobilized. Morgan sought to end the battle before she could recover. Molly, after catching her ground, stumbled back, vision blurred, as Morgan's arm became encased in tangible psychic energy, forming a spear like before. He thrust his arm forward, aiming for her chest.

Everything paused. Molly blinked, vision eventually returning to normal, and jumped back from the tip of Morgan's spear. He had gotten the biggest shock of his life, when Calvin, seemingly unscathed, held his spear by its tip. Morgan relinquished it, and shifted back.

"Molly, get out of here, _now_," He said. She nodded, and backed away from the two to rejoin the others. He returned his stare to Morgan.

"Molly, let me," Latias began to heal Molly's skin. "Calvin's alive!"

She nodded, but then immediately narrowed her eyes. "Something's not right."

Calvin's entire physical appearance had grown somewhat darker; his sclera were black, with blood red rings in them meant to represent his irises. Latias tried contacting him, but his emotions were raging, causing him to emit uncontrollable amounts of energy that even Molly and Matthew felt, and shivered to. Calvin looked at Morgan, face showing no expression at all. Morgan must have felt the amount of energy radiating from his body, but even he couldn't believe it.

"You don't scare me, Calvin," He said, finally. "I can put you back in that hole right now if I wanted to!"

Calvin didn't say anything; he continued to stare blankly at Morgan. He on the other hand, grew irritated, and meant to hit him with the back of his paw, but Calvin caught it again, and started to snarl, throwing Morgan through the air to land some feet away. He then jumped high into the sky; something he was never able to do before, spinning and creating a blade of dark energy with his leg. It collided with the ground in front of Morgan, exploding and shrouding him in a cloud of dust. Morgan blew it away fast as Calvin landed on a dime.

"You were in a hole for one hour, and now I'm supposed to believe you got…_stronger_?" Morgan asked him. Calvin did not respond, and only glared at him with death in his eyes. "ANSWER ME!"

Calvin disobeyed that order, and Morgan was unable to keep his composure. With a shriek of anger, he lunged at Calvin, and struck him in the face. Calvin's face absorbed the blow, and he stumbled backwards. However he didn't seem to have been affected by this, and straightened his posture and returned to his previous position, staring defiantly at Morgan.

Calvin remained stationery for the next few minutes as Morgan squandered his energy trying to eliminate his opponent. He replicated his attack from earlier, sending hundreds of spears hurtling towards Calvin. Calvin crossed his arms and absorbed every blow. The tore through his skin like paper, but he did not flinch or move a muscle. Morgan, growing ever furious, summoned a horde of energy into a large spear, and threw it at Calvin. Finally, for the first time since rescuing Molly, he defended himself, raising a hand and placing it in the direct path of the point of the spear. His feet slid back for a short distance, and then he stopped altogether, with the force of the energy fighting against him for victory. The winds picked up shortly, as the energy started to shrink, being absorbed by Calvin and at the same time, healing his injuries, both past and present. Morgan could not believe what he was seeing and attempted to summon another spear of energy, but it ended up like its predecessor; absorbed by Calvin. Calvin inhaled, and exhaled, and the veil of energy surrounding his body flared twice as large.

When Morgan realized that everything he was doing was failing, he tried to resort to even deadlier measures, but before he could summon any attack, Calvin, with immeasurable speed, tackled him in the stomach and sent him crashing across the crater. This time he did not emerge as quickly as before, and while still trying to catch his breath, he now conjured his own rage.

"I've held back with you long enough!" He returned to Calvin's airspace and grabbed him by the neck. "It's time I ended this!"

Morgan threw him into a building, but he wasn't planning on letting him off as he previously did. He chased after him, entering the building as well and sending shockwaves through the entire structure that literally started bringing it town. Be grabbed Calvin by the leg and threw him into the ground, burying him under tons of falling debris, escaped, and as the building fell he used his powers to dramatize his death. The explosions were incredible, and as he floated in midair above the wreckage, he started to laugh with victory until the energy paths returned once more, and his opponent stood among the rubble, with a glare that would now drive anyone crazy.

"No…impossible," Calvin walked out of the rubble, and broke into a run, using the momentum and twirling the sword 360 degrees and shooting a wave of dark power up at Morgan. In defense, he shielded himself, and before he was ready to counterattack Calvin front-flipped, and jumped into the air and joined Morgan at his vantage point. Without stopping, he spun through the air, and hit Morgan in the face with his foot. Continuing his spin, he hit Morgan with the back of his arm, sending him speeding into the ground below, in which he intended to follow up with another physical blow. Having seen enough to convince him, he repelled Calvin and returned to a fighting position.

* * *

Arceus, who was sound asleep in the hall of the Samiya, awoke to the violent radiation of energy. She could feel it from where she was; in fact, it felt as if it were coming from herself. She stood up, and searched her thoughts, tracking and locating the source of the energy. She feared the worst when she finally got her answer, opening a human-sized portal and disguising herself to pass through. For the first time since the incident, she viewed Celadon with her own eyes, and as unbelievable as the damage was, it was not her concern. She hurried to the edge of the crater and rejoined Molly and Latias and, finally viewed Matthew with her own eyes.

"What is he doing?" She asked, without giving them notice. The trio screamed with fear and turned back. "My apologies for the scare, but I have to know."

"He's winning," Latias said, strafing aside to give her a better view of Calvin's battle. Arceus was not concerned with its progression, however.

"No, he's pushed it too far," She mumbled. "I had a feeling that this was going to happen…"

With that remark, the trio surrounded her, yearning for answers. "You 'had a feeling'?"

"Wait, before I start answering your questions…where's Millie?"

"She's—" The group finally stopped to realize why Calvin was acting so erratically. He resurfaced, and she didn't which meant… "Wait, what happened to her?"

"_I'll go check,"_ With a flash of light, Latias disappeared, and returned to the street in which the two fell through. She ducked beneath the surface for about ten minutes, only to return to them in tears.

"_She's gone!"_ She wailed, covering her mouth. "Morgan…he…"

"I know what you're trying to say, dear. It's alright," Arceus sighed in agony and stood back. "There's something I have to tell you three…about Millie."

* * *

Infuriated, Morgan started to roar, which was intimidating in his present form for anyone except Calvin, who remained placid with what he viewed ad Morgan's "little light show." In spite of his rage, Morgan could hear his thoughts, which taunted him as he expressed his power.

He finally took matters into his own hands and attempted to overwhelm Calvin. He jabbed his paw into the ground beneath him, and all across the crater in front of him, sharp spears of rock protruded from the ground, growing ever closer to Calvin. He, in turn, stomped his foot into the ground, which raised the ground around his feet, elevating him to safety. Morgan quickly attempted to stop him halfway, obliterating his platform and sending him falling into the ground again, and finally acquiring him in the position he wanted, encased his paw to form a spear for his final blow. But, was he fooled, when his attack became negated once again…but Calvin was now tired of giving Morgan the upper hand, and decided to take his revenge.

Calvin grabbed his paw and jumped to his feet and with his other hand, took grip of his chest, and threw him towards the sky. He jumped high into the sky trailing his opponent, unsheathed the sword and gathered momentum and power by twirling both his body and the sword until it had become formidable enough to injure him. Morgan created a force field at the last second, but was not able to fully absorb the extremity of the attack, and he was repelled to earth once more, landing with a painful thud. As he opened his eyes, his opponent attempted to drive the sword through his heart and he disappeared as the tip of the blade made contact with the ground. Calvin stood up, and sheathed the sword. Morgan was betting that his invisibility would turn the tide of the battle that he had lost precious control of.

He was horribly mistaken.

Calvin's eyes flashed, and he traced the energy paths of his opponent, who stopped to catch his breath and recover, but that wasn't going to happen. His eyes fell on him, and he strafed to his exact location and elbowed the air in front of him. He could hear a groan, followed by the his visual appearance, but what Calvin didn't expect was Morgan's counter attack, and he placed his paws on the sides of Calvin's head and immobilized him.

"I want to know…what's going on in there!" He said, as his paws lit up. Calvin grabbed his arms and tried to remove them as Morgan scoured through his thoughts. "What's making you tick? What's making you go…ON!"

Calvin's eyes started to glow, and whatever power he was emitting started to cause Morgan some pain, rippling through his body like electric currents. Calvin then kicked off of Morgan's chest and back flipped out of his grip, quickly charging back and summoning energy to his fist, and introduced it to his jaw. As his head swung back, Calvin did the same with his foot and kicked him into a building.

Everything went silent. For ten whole minutes the city was at peace again. Calvin crossed his arms and waited for his opponent to return to battle. He knew that this wasn't over and was waiting for another sly remark from him. As much as he wanted to kill him, he wanted it to be slow and painful, just like he had expected him to face…

Morgan emerged, but to Calvin's surprise, he had spent his time charging up for an attack that he would surely have no time to anticipate—another Hyper Beam. Calvin enraged himself—of all the things he had done, Morgan continued to battle. He yelled, but it came out as more of a roar than a regular human yell, and he launched his own attack to correspond with the launching of Moran's. The two clashed midway, and were equal with power for the most part, until Morgan started overpowering Calvin, and increased his power. This upset the balance of power, and Morgan's attack started drawing closer to Calvin.

Memories flooded Calvin's head. He was supposed to win this battle…not lose. He made a promise to her, after ignoring her for so long…he wasn't going to let her down, and he wasn't going to let him emerge victorious. He roared again, and the veil of energy surrounding him grew three times as large, and his power increased to unbelievable levels. Morgan's attack was returned to its previous point, and then continued towards him, overpowering him and soon consuming him in a pitch black beam of energy. When the beam diminished, Morgan, being drained of power, fell to the ground, unable to move. But just to make sure, Calvin broke into a run, flipped over his body, unsheathed the sword once more and struck it into the ground. Behind him, the ground beneath Morgan ejected him into the air, and he flew helplessly back across the Battlefield. Calvin followed on foot, and when he landed and rolled to a halt he front flipped, and brought his leg down on Morgan's chest. The force was so intense that the ground rippled around them. Morgan shrieked in pain; a few of his ribs had been broken from the blow, and he was temporarily immobilized, but it was all the time Calvin needed to kill him, and raised the sword, preparing to strike it through his chest.

* * *

"No…no, this can't be real…you're lying!" Molly backed up, and away from Arceus.

Arceus persistently followed. Although in human form, could hear every word as clear as day. "Molly, every single word of what I'm telling you is true—I would never lie to you."

She held her head. "Stay away from me."

"Molly, please! Look past this for one moment and help out your father!" Arceus pleaded. "If Calvin isn't stopped in his current state now, we may lose him forever!"

"Why should I listen to you?" She yelled. "You looked us straight in the eyes and lied to us for 11 years! She was my mother, Arceus! And now you expect me to trust you?"

"If I would have told you, then she wouldn't have been with you for as long as she was!" She said, holding back her own emotions. "It wasn't my decision, Molly. I only did her the favor. Time took its toll."

Molly opened her eyes, and looked out to her father, who had downed Morgan and was standing over him. She looked back at Arceus. "What's wrong with him?"

"He's being driven by rage over her death," She replied. "Enough rage to overshadow his emotions and potentially eradicate the one responsible. I don't want him to do something that he may regret, even with all the things Morgan has done to you, and you're the only one with enough power to break him free. Please, Molly."

She and Arceus stared at each other for a moment, and finally, Molly walked out into the crater and towards her father, just as he was preparing to stab Morgan through the chest with the sword. She looked at her father…but like Arceus had said, she couldn't see _him_ in there anymore; he looked like an entirely different person. She used that as her defense and hit him hard with the edge of her tail, sending him speeding across the crater and into the ground. When the dust cleared, he emerged, having been enraged even more by the person who attacked him, and formed a dagger with his newfound powers. Molly wasn't aware of his speed, and he returned to her in the blink of an eye, jumping into the air and attempting to impale her. Time slowed. Their eyes met, and she glanced up at him with disappointment, and he finally realized who had hit him and what he was in the process of doing. His eye color reverted to normal, but only for the moment. His power level took a nosedive and the dagger diminished, and he dropped to his knees.

Molly backed up, as her father fought for control of himself. He held his head, while his powers raged uncontrollably. His clothes were flashing back and forth from normal to black, and he yelled out, almost as if he were trying to relinquish some outside force. Soon, Molly could hear the voice of this force in her own head as the rocks around them began to levitate. Calvin struggled, picking the sword up and twisting it around. Molly took notice of this; while the sword retained its original colors, the star was pitch black, and must've been the source of the madness. Calvin placed his hand on the star and started to pull at it. Arceus saw this, and her eyes widened.

"No! Calvin, stop!" She yelled. "You don't know what you're doing!"

He couldn't hear her, and separated the two. Almost immediately, the power levels diminished, and his physical appearance returned to normal. Arceus looked around frantically, as if searching for something; Latias took notice of this. Calvin, having finally won back his sanity, supported himself with the sword, and looked at Morgan. Morgan had recovered some, and slowly got up.

"Molly…go," He said. "I can handle this."

"No, dad," She cried. "I'm not leaving you."

He stood up, and gave her one look. "Molly, I'm asking you to trust me. Please."

The two stared at each other. She slowly nodded, and walked back to the group. Calvin struggled into a fighting stance, as Morgan fully recovered from his wounds.

"You're…you're back to normal," He snickered. "That light show of yours was doing more damage to you than it was to me…and you actually have the nerve to continue, without your precious powers."

"Unlike you…I don't live to battle," Calvin looked back at the hole in the street, and tears began to well up in his eyes. "But you've already killed her…do as you wish."

"It's about time!" Morgan raised his paw, and formed a ball of light. It grew larger and larger, and larger before Calvin's eyes. Calvin, in turn, dropped both the star and the sword and stood firm, awaiting his death. Everyone else stared at him as if he had gone mad.

_"__What is Calvin doing?"_ Latias shrieked. Molly turned around for the first time since returning.

"Dad?" She yelled. "DAD, NO!"

Morgan darted towards Calvin, attempting to impale him with the ball—an attack that would surely vaporize him. Calvin simply took a deep breath and found his opening. He swooped under Morgan and pulled out of his coat, the Soul Dew, and pushed it into the symbol on Morgan's chest. Energy rippled throughout the area as his eyes widened, and his attack diminished. Calvin backed up as his opponent was seemingly too paralyzed to move. Latias, now realizing what her counterpart had just done, gasped in disbelief. Morgan's body started to glow. Calvin picked up the sword and the star once more and ran for cover, as the ever increasing energy waves became violent. Soon, Morgan was engulfed in light, and in one yell, a beam of light shot into the sky, disintegrating everything in immediate vicinity. Calvin struck the sword into the ground and knelt behind it and the energy waves passed over him, and he closed his eyes once it became too bright to see.

The beam of light could be seen all over the world. Down in the Southern Arctic Circle, Kisaki and her tribe watched, as it lit up the night sky. In Sinnoh, Nate lost view from his TV screen, but when the night sky was illuminated behind him with a beam of light, he knew then, what had happened. From the Pokémon League headquarters, Agatha stood quietly by her window, and watched the spectacle. From the Space Center in Mossdeep, satellite images were obscured by the ray, as it reached as far as space. Clayton and Amanda hastily made their way to the top of the center to see what the anomaly was. They had been watching their son's battle from there, and were shocked by this new scene. From Alto Mare, Lorenzo, Bianca, Caitlyn, Codie, and Danielle were watching, and once they saw the beam of light illuminate the sidewalk outside the restaurant windows, even amidst the sunlight, they were instantly bedazzled. Bianca and Lorenzo had previously seen a spectacle similar to this, and were both in shock and worry. Danielle walked out into the street and looked up at the light. There was always something about her boss that she couldn't understand…until now.

The light faded, and the energy calmed. Calvin opened his eyes, as a thick smoke shrouded the area. He couldn't see Morgan and didn't know what had happened, until the dust cleared and he looked down at the body. Latias appeared next to him.

_"__Calvin, how could you do that without telling me?"_ She cried. _"What have you done?"_

"I…just love it, how you accuse me of a wrongdoing…and then ask the questions," She eyed him dangerously. "Why don't you ask _him_?"

She growled at him, and then looked at Morgan…or at least that's what she thought she was looking at. The dust washed over the blue fur of the identical eon dragon. Calvin sighed in agony, and closed his eyes. He walked away as Latias tended to her newly resurrected brother, dragging the sword along the ground. He stared at Arceus as he joined the group, then looked down and kept walking.

Though he had just won the battle, he had already lost the war.


	25. Vacation

The entire trip back home I spent sitting in the front of the ship, rarely making contact with the others, only going to my cabin to eat and sleep. We only met when it was time to disembark. As I walked down the gangway, thousands of Alto Marians gathered awaiting our return, and probably would have cheered if it weren't for the expression on my face; both from shock and from sorrow. The crowd parted, and we made our way through, not stopping until we got to the garden, where the others were waiting. I turned around.

_"__Calvin…"_ I walked back to the exit. I just didn't feel like talking right now.

I dragged myself back towards the house, unlocked the door and walked inside. No one was here. I threw my hat and coat over the chair and stopped for a moment. No one was here…

"How…HOW COULD I HAVE BEEN SO CLUELESS?" I punched the wall in front of me, tried for a second, but missed and lost my balance, and fell to my knees, tears now forming in my eyes. I fisted my hand and started to hit the ground now. Emmy's ring slipped out of my fist and rolled into a corner. I crawled over and picked it up again, sitting down, back against the wall and tears rolling down my face.

All these years…all these damn years I had spent mourning her death, finally figuring out that she never died, and that she'd just taken on another form. And when I _did_ figure it out, she sacrificed herself to try and save me…all the signs she tried to show me, and I completely ignored them…ignored _her_…and now she was gone forever.

* * *

A week had passed since we got back. I spent that time locked up in my room most of the day, doing the same thing I did on the ship. Molly knocked on my door a few times and told me that Latios' condition was getting better, and after about three days, she finally gave up and started bypassing my door altogether. All the time I was trying to make myself feel better by thinking that this was just a repeat of what happened seven years ago with me, Molly and Latias. Maybe I was going to get lucky…maybe Emmy wasn't entirely gone…

"She already had a second chance…" I mumbled. "She knew she wasn't getting a third…I screwed up…"

Between a mixture of crying and laughing, I dozed off. I knew sleeping wasn't going to help, but this time it was different. I did actually sleep. It was very relaxing, and deep into my sub consciousness a new world started to form. What was my bedroom became a forest of some sort, with a late afternoon sky overhead and a slight breeze from the west. I got up, and quickly realized that I was wearing a suit.

I scoffed. "Latias…I'm not in the mood."

_"__Too bad. It wasn't her idea."_

"Oh you gotta be—" The blue identical eon dragon appeared, showing no emotion like usual. "It looks like you're doing better. So this was your idea?"

_"__No, it was Emelina's"_

He touched a nerve with that comment. "Latios…that wasn't funny."

_"No pun intended,"_ I clenched my fists. _"I'm serious, Calvin. Come with me."_

As annoyed as I was now, I followed anyway. Through a set of trees we came out into a meadow, upon which Latios transformed into his human form as well. He made an attempt to put on a suit, but I couldn't tell if it was a robe or not. Arceus, in a purple evening gown and Giratina in a three piece suit, stood a short walk away. It looked like another ceremony.

"A ceremony in a dreamshare," They weren't smiling either. "Thanks, but I think I'll pass."

"Calvin…" Arceus said quietly, ignoring my comment. "First off…I am grateful that you did what you did, and I am very sorry for your loss."

My throat bulged up and I could feel tears forming in my eyes again. I nodded as a reply instead.

"I…I do have a confession to make," She cleared her throat. "Calvin, when Emelina…passed away the first time, she knew it would kill you on the inside. At the time I wasn't very keen on granting any requests for humans, but she convinced me otherwise. That night when you saved Mesprit from those horrible men you proved that, and so I decided to give her a second chance," My eyes widened. "When you became my aide it was her request that she stay with you…to look after you as a mortal, and to watch as Molly grew up. I couldn't give her a human body, so instead I gave her the form of a Feebas. In other words, the egg that you hatched…which in time evolved into a Milotic.

"So she…took on the form of a pokémon…just to stay with me?" Giratina nodded.

"It means she really loves you, Cal'," Anyone would've gotten mad at a comment like that but I took it as a compliment.

"But…the only problem," Arceus continued. "You had absolutely no idea of this, and so I asked her to convince you that she was still alive. A plan that should've taken couple of years went on for over a decade. And unfortunately it had run its course."

"My fault again," I covered my mouth. She put her hand on my shoulder.

"Yeah, so," Giratina interrupted. "Since I watch over the dead I decided to have my fair share of 'second chances'."

I looked up. "What are you talking about?"

He stepped aside, revealing a setup of about 40 chairs, split down the middle making space for an aisle. I could spot everyone, some legendries, some friends and family members, including Molly and my mother, Latias, Lorenzo, and Bianca. The four of us walked towards them. Arceus, Giratina, and Latios all sat down, and with all seats accounted for, I was left out.

"What the hell!" They all pointed to the front of the aisle.

Dressed in a blue gown, bouquet in hands, and a lotus in her hair, she smiled at me, leaving me completely speechless. I walked forward. This was all for me; it was a vow renewal. And if things had gone correctly, I would've been married for twenty years today…

"Emmy…" I looked at her. "Emmy I'm sorry I—"

"A little louder, Calvin," She said.

Vow….put it in vow form… "Emelina," I started. "It's hard to believe that it's already been twenty years…wow. I mean when we first got married it was in a field like this, and we both knew we were never going to have any second thoughts about it. I know I don't," I cleared my throat. "I'll never forget the day you passed away. I sat in a corner and cried my heart out; honestly I didn't know how to continue. But it was something that kept me going all these years, and now that I piece it together, I knew it was you…I missed all the signs. Every time you tried to convince me that you were still here, I bypassed them, until it was too late. You kept your promise though; you never took your ring off. Now that I look back on it, I know I can apologize, I can say how stupid I was for not paying more attention, but I never, and never _will_ give up how I feel about you…I love you, Emelina Winthrop."

She smiled, and we both kissed.

* * *

When everything was over, it was time for Emmy to go. I followed her further into the field, and she turned around and looked at me.

"You still look like the scrawny, young man I married twenty years ago," She said, chuckling. I had a comeback, but decided not to use it. "Calvin?"

"Yeah?"

She hugged me. "I'm going to miss you."

"No…my friends are never really gone," I said, reviving an old line I told Latias when Latios had passed away. "That includes you too, Emmy."

She started to cry. I kissed her forehead.

"It's time," I let her go and she stepped back. "Stay strong for me, okay?"

I nodded. She blew me a kiss, and faded into the evening air. The wind blew for a few seconds and then died down. Molly came to my side, and held my hand.

* * *

I stood quietly in front of Emelina's headstone at the Cherrygrove Cemetery the next afternoon. It read "Emelina Grant-Winthrop—her family's last name was Grant—loving mother, daughter, and wife. 1974-1998". Fortuitously, everything was over just in time for me to visit her grave like I did every year. I wanted to stay strong like she said, but looking at her headstone made it very difficult.

_"__Are you going to be okay, Calvin?"_ Danielle asked.

I took a deep breath and looked back at her. For one, she scared the hell out of me. "Yeah...yeah I'll be alright. Can I ask you something?"

"_Sure."_

"Just where the hell did you come from?" She chuckled.

_"__I thought you might be here,"_ She replied. _"And teleportation comes in very handy. I just came from seeing my parents."_

"Oh…how did it go?"

_"__It was…really nice seeing them again,"_ She replied. _"It was very uncomfortable for me to convince them of whom…what, I was, but they eventually saw me for it. Still, it's a long way back to where we were."_

"They still mad at me?"

_"__I didn't ask, but I don't think that they're mad at you,"_ She said. _"They never were. In fact, they wanted me to ask you how you managed to retain your youth over 28 years—don't ask,"_ I pulled at my collar. _"I just wished that they hadn't given up looking for me."_

She and I walked to the gates.

_"__But…you didn't,"_ She continued. _"What does that say—about us?"_

"It means that no matter what happens, for all extents and purposes, I'll never give up on you again," I said. "Your parents are great, and they spent more time and resources than I originally anticipated, looking for you. It was my turn to pick up where they left off. I really owed you, Danielle."

She smiled. _"Thanks, Calvin."_

I smiled back. "Now let's head home. There's someone else I have to talk to…"

I looked back at the cemetery. Emmy's headstone was still visible. The wind blew softly in the opposite direction, almost as if she was telling me to move forward.

"Always leaving me hanging, Emmy," I shook my head and followed Danielle.

* * *

"Latias?" I walked into the garden. She turned around. "Hi."

_"__Hi,"_ She replied nervously. _"Is…is everything okay now?"_

"…I'm sorry for the way I was the other night," I said. "But everything's okay now, so…no hard feelings?"

_"__Yay!"_ She dashed over to give me the usual bone breaker. _"I'm so glad that you're feeling better."_

"I'm not, yet," She let me go. "But I'm slowly getting there."

She nodded. _"Come. He wants to see you."_

She led me down a newly paved cobblestone pathway to the lake I saw so many years ago. Latios was sprawled out in the grass, looking up at the sky and hardly made an effort to greet us when we appeared.

_"__He's a bit nervous, so go easy on him,"_ She said.

"What? How can I hurt his feelings?" I chuckled.

_"__I know you, Calvin,"_ I nodded. _"So please…?"_

"Alright. I'll do it for you."

She hugged me again, and started to cry. _"Thank you, Calvin, from the bottom of my heart…you don't know how much it means to me, to have him back."_

I smiled, and nodded in appreciation. "Okay, let's do this," Latias returned to the outer garden while I lay on the ground beside Latios. "Hey," There was a long moment of silence. I sighed. "You're waiting for me to say something stupid, aren't you?"

He groaned. _"Honestly…yes, I was."_

"I'm not really in the mood for joking, just yet," I said.

_"__Nor am I,"_ He said. _"I just have to know something."_

"What?"

_"_…_How do you keep doing it?"_ I broke into a laugh. _"It amazes me, that, one way or the other, you always emerge victorious. I'm just dying to know: how did you figure out this one?"_

"Okay, I'll let you in on a secret," I said. "I thought that merging your soul with that clone's body would slow Morgan down," He looked at me in shock. "I overheard Latias saying that it was a manifestation of energy, and I thought that by merging it with him, the excess power would slow him down! Come on, I panicked! I was willing to try anything!"

_"You i__diot!" _He exclaimed. _"You didn't know that by merging the soul of a passed Lati with the empty shell of another, the soul would be resurrected?"_

"Well, sorry if I missed that lesson," I said. "So are you telling me that I shouldn't have done it?"

He shook his head, and lay back down. _"Of course not. You got very lucky…again…and I owe you my thanks."_

"No, you don't," I said. "If I knew what I was doing was going to bring you back, I would've done it anyway. Reminds me of a little "hero" speech you gave me, seven years ago."

His face would've turned red, in embarrassment, if not for his fur. Instead, it flared a bright purple which I fought back tears trying not to laugh at. _"Don't patronize me, Calvin."_

"Agreed," I said. "Look, we're all family. We help each other out. Speaking of which, did Latias tell you about Cornelia?"

_"__Who?"_

"Lugia and Annabel's daughter," He looked up at me again.

_"__Get out!"_ He said. _"Tell me all about her!"_

"She was born in the Samiya, last year," I said. "She called me 'Uncle Calvin'. I guess that makes Lugia my half-brother. And then, earlier this year when Morgan kidnapped her, Lugia and I went to all lengths to find her."

_"__Is it coincidence?"_ He asked. _"The same thing happened to you, with Molly and Danielle, and you didn't hesitate to help them. That's one characteristic of a brother."_

"True."

I could tell that he was hesitating with this next question. _"What does that make us?"_

"What do you mean?"

_"__Well, considering what happened to Emelina…I thought you might think otherwise."_

I looked at him. "Come on Latios, we're cool. Nothing's going to change that."

He smiled. _"Thank you."_

I nodded, and sighed. We continued staring into the afternoon sky in silence. I really enjoyed this, partly because it was a beautiful garden with acceptable weather. But it wasn't just that; I hadn't done this in a while. Apart from work with _both_ of my jobs, and all the incidents that accompanied them, I hadn't had much time for myself. Time wasn't going to wait for me, and even though I hated saying it, I wasn't getting younger. I needed more time to do what _I_ wanted, like exploring places I had never been to. That was something I would've never passed up in my adolescence. Basically…I needed a vacation, and no matter what anyone thought, I was going to have it.

* * *

I packed my bag with everything I could find. Clothes, toothbrushes, and a sense of dignity…well, not literally. I hadn't had a chance at something like this since I was a careless adolescent. But now, with Molly all grown up and the restaurant in the good hands of people I could rely on, I was no longer needed in this scene. So, here started my year-long vacation.

"Are you sure about this, Calvin?" Arceus asked, sitting in on the edge of my bed. A couple of days had passed since I told everyone about my vacation. "A year seems like a long time to be away. What if something else happens?"

"Arceus, quit worrying," I said. "I'm just going to bathe myself in the sunshine for a few months. What could possibly happen? Unless, that is, you lay judgment to the—"

She groaned. "I thought we were past this."

"Oh, we are," I picked up the sword, strapped it to my back, and then put on my bag. "I just use that for leverage now," I stopped. I had just remembered why I called her here. I turned around, and looked at her. "Arceus…I know what it was like—to lose control. When Emmy died, I was overwhelmed with anger, it just…" I sighed. "I'm glad Molly was there to snap me out of it. I'm sorry I ever doubted you."

"Apology accepted," She said. "You know what they say, Calvin. Vengeance gets you nowhere, but in a deeper hole."

I nodded, and she followed me downstairs and outside. I walked up to the street, where Molly, Bianca and Lorenzo, Matthew, Danielle, Codie and her Shinx, the Lati's, and my five pokémon were waiting. A group without Millie was just…incomplete, but I looked past this. Arceus sighed.

"I tried."

"Dad," Molly said. "Don't worry. We'll hold it down for as long as you're gone," She had her arm wrapped around Matthew's. I narrowed my eyes.

"Latios, you know the deal," He nodded, and started to stare at Matthew, who became nervous.

"Dad! What do you think we'll do?"

"If you know you aren't going to _do_ anything, then this shouldn't be a problem," Her face glew vibrant with embarrassment. "Danielle, stay on top of the employees, and keep a clear schedule," She nodded. "Just because we won an award last year doesn't mean we're in the clear."

_"__Okay, for the millionth time__,__"_ She said. _"You got it, Calvin."_

I looked at them, especially at Codie and her Shinx. An eager young trainer and her pokémon…reminded me of…_me_, at her age. "Codie…you're going to be a great person someday," I said, and got up and waved everyone goodbye and walked to the docks. Sometimes I wish I was still a teenager so that I could relive what I had previously done…well then again, the more I think about it, if was young again I would have to redo twenty years of marriage with Emmy…something I don't look forward to. What I mean, is…some memories are only meant to be lived once. And I don't think could've relived them any other way.


	26. Curtain

Two weeks had passed, following the events in Celadon City. Celadon was slowly recovering, and in honor of their hero, they started erecting a statue of Calvin and Millie, standing ready to battle, in the wake of danger. The city was then closed until its reconstruction was complete, so its residents were relocated to Saffron City for convenience. In that 'convenience', Matthew, Caitlyn, Serena, and Cora made their way to the hospital to go and see someone. For the two, this was far from over, and they needed a shortcut.

"Hello," Caitlyn greeted, to a nurse behind the main desk. "Do you know where I can find a certain patient?"

"Sure," She replied, picking up her roster. "What's this patient's name?"

"…Ely Morgan."

The nurse dropped her roster in shock. Once Caitlyn identified herself, she led them to his room. A doctor was briefed on her husband's situation, and willingly told her and Matthew. When Morgan's alternate body absorbed the Soul Dew, he described it as an "ejection". Morgan lost all control over this body, and due to the burst of energy and the fact that it was due mostly in part to his brain functions, the resulting electrical shock he endured killed a large fraction of his brain cells, causing some non-lethal damage. The bright side to this was that now, Morgan couldn't remember the last 11 years of his life, meaning that he wasn't aware of his employment with Team Galactic, or, what he had done to the people affected by his work. He was just waking up for the first time, wondering where his family was.

"He's lucky that he can't remember this," The doctor continued. "He was facing at least…life, in prison."

Caitlyn nodded, and entered his room. Matthew followed. She covered her mouth and started to cry, as her husband lay calm in his hospital bed. Matthew looked at his father blankly, slowly approaching his bedside. He held his hand and he opened his eyes. Eye to eye, he had never seen worry like this from him, especially when they met before. It was going to take a long time to accept him as he was now, but he was no doubt, a changed man.

"Matthew?" He whispered. "Is…is that you?"

"Yeah," Matthew smirked. "Yeah, it's me."

"They told me everything," He said. "The things they accused me with…I don't remember anything, I—" He looked at Caitlyn. "Honey…I…I didn't pick up those flowers like you asked."

Caitlyn broke into a laugh, and rubbed his head.

* * *

It was a morning like every other in the Southern Arctic Circle: overcast. The winds picked up and settled throughout the early morning hours, whipping Kisaki and the other Empoleon of her tribe. Luckily, they weren't bothered by this; it was part of their daily routine. What wasn't, though, was the whirring sound echoing from the north. In the distance, a helicopter was steadily approaching, declining in altitude, possibly attempting to land.

As expected, the helicopter touched down on the icy surface of the glacier. Kisaki was the first to walk towards it, urging her tribe to fall back, even as much as they wanted to fend off their intruders. She scanned the vehicle for anything that posed a threat, but other than the large letters—M, I S, and A, it didn't live up to it. Suddenly, the doors swung open, and as the helicopter's blades slowed, three men got out, helping an aging man down onto the slippery ice. He fended them off and scolded them for it, regained his composure, and looked up. Kisaki's instincts were begging her to attack the intruders, but she remained tranquil, as the elderly man approached her.

He raised his hand. "Don't be alarmed."

"That's easy for you to say, human," She responded, in her native tongue.

Professor Clayton Winthrop was not new to encountering pokémon. He enjoyed the sheer thought of it once, but it was in a past that seemed so irrelevant to him now, in a modern-day world of realism and corruption. He was given a tip by his son that a long-time friend had sought refuge here, and he decided to use his resources at the Mossdeep Institute to bring it to fruition. The ride was uneventful, and now, in a cold, unbearable environment thousands of miles away from his tropical paradise, he was bent on making some amends…starting with Kisaki. He pulled off his mask, and the wind whipped his face, drawing tears to his eyes. As he did this, Kisaki stared at him, examining his very well-being, until she recognized him, and started to snarl.

"You!" She snapped, although he could not understand her. Clayton did the math.

"K…Kisaki!" He stared at her. Calvin told him that she'd fled to the Arctic, but he never told him that she had evolved. Clayton's jaw almost dropped. "I-Is that you?" He dug into his coat pocket and pulled out the medallion that Calvin had given back to him the day before, and he raised it into the air for her to see, but she had already known who he was; she wasn't too pleased to see him.

"Kisaki, I—"

"I don't want to hear it!" She yelled. "Just go back to where you came from!"

Clayton couldn't understand an ounce of what she said, but from the tone of her voice, he knew that reasoning peacefully was not an option. He looked down at the medallion, and sighed.

"You don't have to forgive me…I didn't expect you to," He placed the medallion down, on the ice. "I'm so sorry, Kisaki," He turned, and walked back towards the helicopter.

Clayton only got about halfway back before something exploded on the back of his head, causing him to stumble before regaining his balance. It was snow—a snowball had been thrown at him! He looked back, as another one flew into his face. As he wiped the frost out of his eyes, Kisaki turned around, and returned to her tribe. Clayton knelt down, scooped some snow into his hands, rolled it into a ball, and threw it back. Once it hit her, she stopped, turned back around and boiled over with anger. Clayton now felt determined to resolve this.

She rolled a snowball, twice the original's size, and held it in her fin. Clayton's determination quickly reverted to fear as she began to aim for him. "No…no no no, wait!" She threw it at lightning speed, and it hit him square in the face. He fell back onto the ice, and uncovered his face. The impact was just enough to dislodge his nose.

"Professor Winthrop!" One of his assistants called. "Are you alright?"

"Never better!" He responded, sarcastically. "I'm getting too old for this…"

He picked himself up, and looked at her. A warrior ready for battle, she waited for his return fire, but Clayton had witnessed enough of her anger. What he did to her was uncalled for, and as he walked back to the helicopter, he started to question his self-commitment…it was what had gotten him here, in the first place. "Take me back," He started to board the helicopter once more, until something tugged at his leg. There Kisaki stood, handing him the medallion in a "you forgot something" fashion. He stepped down again. "No…I gave this to you as a token of our friendship. I didn't want it to end up this way, but unfortunately there's nothing I can do to make amends to you. Keep it."

He touched her face. "I can't believe you're the "queen" of this tribe," It was very uncommon, even for a scientist, to discover something like this. "Goodbye, Kisaki."

Kisaki then started to reflect, giving him the benefit of the doubt for going out of his way just to see her again. No one in his place would've done something like this. She had learned to forgive from his son, and was even more surprised at how _he_ turned out. Clayton was a changed man, and was begging for her forgiveness. What happened in the past was just that. She urged him to stay once more, and painfully relocated his nose. He turned away in pain, gripping his nose in his hands, and when he turned back to her he was embraced with a hug.

"Come with me," She said, offering him a fin. "There's something I want to show you."

Still unable to understand, Clayton guessed her hand gestures as she walked back across the ice. He looked at his assistants, who then looked at him for confirmation.

"Okay people," Clayton smiled. "You're always complaining about not getting enough action…how would you like to do a special project for the Institute?"

"Yes sir!" They exclaimed in unison, and followed their superior.

'But first…' He stopped them again, and scooped a snowball into his hand once more. As he threw it, Kisaki and some of the other Empoleon of her tribe revealed their arsenal as well, and returned fire. "We're at war, gentlemen! Start scooping!"

* * *

Molly's legs trembled as she stood outside Mr. Mancini's classroom that hot, August afternoon. She had finished her portrait, and was pretty confident earlier that morning, but then she started to review Bianca's words, and they started echoing nonstop in her head. "Tough grader," This one portrait, although she thought it broke a dozen school rules, determined whether or not she passed his class.

"Molly?" Bianca called, approaching her from down the hallway. "What's the matter?"

"I'm terrified," She gave her the portrait. "What if he doesn't like it? He'll fail me."

"Molly, this…this picture is amazing!" She was speechless. "I know Mr. Mancini is a tough grader, but he can't give you an "F" on this. There's just no way!"

_"__Trust her word, Molly…"_

Molly turned around. "What did you say?"

"I said there's no way Mr. Mancini can give you an "F" on this." Bianca looked at her curiously. "Did I say something different?"

Almost suddenly Molly felt a weight come down on her shoulders, which didn't help at this particular moment, and she was whirled towards the classroom again, upon which Mr. Mancini finally noticed her presence. She waved and meant to greet him, but only a high-pitched squeak came from her mouth. She blushed.

_"__Don't worry, I'll back you up."_

She was pushed forward into the classroom, and up to Mr. Mancini's desk. He looked up at her, stopped what he was doing and clasped his hands.

"Your portrait?" He looked at his desk, and then back at her.

_"__He's mean."_

She cleared her throat. "H-Here," Molly gave him her portrait. He looked at it for a few seconds, then his eyes widened, and he took off his glasses. Molly started to smile; she felt an A+ coming her way.

"Hm. "C-"."

Her jaw dropped. "WHAT?"

He looked up at her, and then started to laugh. She, however, did not take this as a joke.

"I'm only joking, Melinda," He said. "No sense of humor this afternoon?"

"No!" She cried. "I worked my a…" He glared at her, and that was followed by a firm press on her shoulders. "…my butt off for this picture. That wasn't funny!"

"Truthfully, it isn't," He continued. "Though really, I haven't had a good portrait in years, but I digress."

'Big time,' She thought.

"Melinda…this picture is amazing!" She went ahead with drawing the picture of a man and his Milotic, both asleep, laying in the shade of an apple tree. He was resting on her back and she was resting by his leg, with a pair of apples in front of them, eaten to their cores. Mr. Mancini smiled, tears almost forming in his eyes from the beauty. "You've paid attention to detail, and the apple cores…good touch."

"Wait, so you like it?"

"Yes. "A+"."

_"__I told you so."_

"No you didn't!" She said aloud. Mr. Mancini looked up at her.

"Excuse me?"

She gasped. "Um…I-It's an expression. You wouldn't understand if I explained."

He stared at her for a while, and then shrugged. "Teenage vocabulary…such an interesting subject. Anyway, what do you plan to name this picture? I would like to put it on display, if you don't mind."

"Not at all," She paced; the weight on her shoulders followed her like a nuisance. Then she returned to the desk. She had thought up the perfect name, in commemoration of her mother and father.

"The Eternal Vows."

* * *

With the weight still lingering on her shoulders, Molly and Bianca returned to her house. Molly offered her something, which she accepted, giving her some time to 'relieve' that weight. She stepped out onto the terrace, upon which the weight diminished and she turned around and looked at the distorted air behind her. She was so overwhelmed with happiness that she started to cry—uncontrollably. He wiped her tears away.

_"__It's really me, Molly,"_ Latios said, revealing himself. _"I'm here."_

"Latios…" He leaned in close enough for her to hug him. "These last seven years without you felt like decades…"

_"__I know,"_ He looked at her. _"And I'm not going anywhere again, I promise."_

She rubbed his forehead—he always kept his promises.

"Come," She said. "There's someone else for you to meet."

She pulled him back into the kitchen. Bianca stared at her for a moment and then to him. She screamed, and jumped back. For some reason Molly expected this reaction from her.

She rubbed her eyes, which started to end up like mine. "Molly…tell me I'm seeing things…if this is some sort of joke, it isn't funny!"

"Bianca, it's really Latios," I said. "He's really back."

Latios came from behind Molly and glided over to Bianca, who, in her own defense, backed up to the wall. She was really in shock from it all.

"It can't be you," She cried. "How _can_ it be you? You…you…"

_"__I know," _He held the sides of her head in his paws. _"__Look into my eyes__. I wouldn't lie to you, Bianca."_

She did as she was told, eventually running her hand across his face, and then started to cry even more.

"It's really you," She started laughing. "You're back!"

The two of them started to hug. I took a deep breath.

"But how?" She asked. "I don't understand…did someone wish you back? Had it something to do with that evil scientist—what was his name again, Molly?"

Just when she thought he was gone forever, someone brought his name up again. "Ely Morgan?"

_"__You can thank Calvin,"_ Latios replied.

"Wait…Calvin _Winthrop_?" She asked in disbelief. Molly shrugged.

_"__He told me that it was meant to slow Morgan down, but instead, when my soul dew was merged with that of the clone, I was brought back to life."_

"How?" They both asked.

_"__Latias said she sensed no aura from it. Since it was a clone I would expect that. In other words, it was an empty shell being controlled by Morgan. Just the right opportunity for my resurrection…I'm just disappointed that Emelina had to sacrifice herself for his opportunity."_

"Who knew that all these years, she was right here with us?" Molly said. "It always felt like she was still here, but I just didn't know where."

"Until it was too late," Molly thought it funny, how those things always happened. "Come, Latios, let's go show you to my grandfather."

_"__He'll be overwhelmed with joy once he realizes that I've returned,"_ Bianca and Latios waved Molly goodbye after she declined to join them and with a golden flash, they disappeared. She looked at the empty kitchen one last time, turned off the lights, and left the house.

* * *

Molly walked along the boardwalk at the edge of town late that afternoon. Her hair blew helplessly in the cool sea breeze, and she was content with that. She felt at peace with herself. No more worries, no more having to look over her shoulder, and finally, no more people getting hurt by Morgan. The only thing she hated about this is that there was one part of her that felt sympathetic for Morgan—in the fact that he was a father.

"I guess it's something to get used to."

She looked up. Matt was walking alongside her. "Matt? Where did you—how did you know what I was thinking?"

"Your facial expression says it all."

"Oh…so, how did it go?" She asked.

"It was…weird," He replied. "The doctors say that he can't remember anything from the last 11 years. I guess he wanted so bad to find an answer to his discoveries, fate took them with it forever. That's the bright side. I'm just mad that in that time, so many people were affected, not to mention that it almost destroy a city—two cities, actually."

"And towns and villages," He nodded. "But…will you be alright?"

"Yeah, I think so," He replied. "They say they won't charge him because of the memory loss, but the chances of him ever seeing the outside world again, much less the public, is slim," Molly nodded with acceptance, and rubbed his shoulder. He sighed, and looked at her. "It's alright, though. Nothing's stopping us from going to see him."

He and Molly continued walking a short distance, before he glanced at the evening sun. he walked to the railing. "Wow, it's a beautiful afternoon…just like—"

"Oh come on Matt, really?" She asked. "That's so cliché"

"Well it's significant if the person actually means it," He looked at her, and she started to blush. "Molly…after what my father did to your mother, I…I honestly thought you were never going to speak to me again."

"No…I could never do that to you, Matt," She said. "Everyone knows you had nothing to do with it. Besides, I told you already: you're nothing like him, and you never will be."

He leaned against the railing. "Then what am _I_ like?"

"A lot better," She said. "Smart, handsome, funny…"

"That's so cliché," He said mockingly. She laughed.

"I don't know what else to say!"

"Well, neither do I!" They stared at each other for a moment. "Maybe…maybe we should stop talking?"

"I think so."

The two had grown very close, and hadn't realized what had happened until it did. They closed their eyes, inched towards each other and started to kiss. The breeze picked up again, and blew gently around them. They parted, opened their eyes and looked at each other, exchanging confused looks.

"Did…did we just…"

Matt blushed too. "Yeah…your father's going to kill me now, right?"

She smiled calmly. "Not unless you tell him," She offered her hand, and he took it in his, and they continued walking.

"Wait…what makes you think that I'll tell him?"

"You wouldn't have asked me if you had a clear conscience, Matt."

"Yeah?" She nodded. "Well you're no good at keeping secrets, either."

"Really?"

"Mhm," He replied. "Knowing now what was bothering you these last few months, keeping big secrets tends to eat you alive."

She scoffed. "Oh, please, Matt. Don't get ahead of yourself."

"All I'm saying, is that your dad can read you like a book," He said. "Don't you think we should be a little…what?"

She shot him an irritated look. "No you didn't!"

"Um…yeah, I did…?"

"You are so unbelievable!" She snapped. "You know what? I should go ahead and tell him! I'll enjoy watching him torture you with his sword!"

"…okay now you're just being mean."

Although still arguing, the two kept a firm grip on one another's hands, and slowly drifted into the beautiful Alto Marian sunset.


	27. Epilogue

_20 years ago…_

"Geez, Calvin, don't you ever learn?" She asked, before embracing me with a kiss.

Emelina and I only met four months ago, and we were madly in love with one other. In the beginning I couldn't stand her, and she couldn't stand me, yet here we were, enjoying this kiss like we'd been together for years. I had just finished winning my fifth badge and we decided to celebrate, so we wandered into the forest, leaving my team behind to do as they pleased, and found a small opening on a cliff, overlooking one of the large valleys of Johto. I challenged her to a little game—whoever could pin the other down long enough would get a free kiss. At first, she looked at me as if I was desperate, until I forgot that she studied martial arts and she quickly forced me to the ground.

"That wasn't fair."

"Do I look like I care?" She asked, with glee.

She helped me up, and we both sat on the edge of the cliff. I looked at her, and stroked her mahogany brown hair. The sun made her eyes look like jewels.

"What are you staring at?" She asked.

"Do you _always_ have to bully me?"

"You're supposed to be the 'unbreakable unshakeable trainer'!" She said, mockingly. "So, you shouldn't be too bothered by my attitude."

"That's what I thought, _before_ I met you," I mumbled.

"What?"

"I-I love you!" I said nervously. Then, after realizing what I said, we both blushed.

She chuckled. "It took you four months to finally say that," She smiled. "I love you too, Calvin."

I smiled back, and kissed her gently on the lips. We turned back to the sun, resting her head on my shoulder. This was it. This was her. This was the woman that I wanted to be with for the rest of my life. So I made it official: after winning my next trophy, I would marry her. From the first time I set my eyes on her, and after a painful nosebleed, there was something about her that just…made me happy. And if I didn't know any better, I bet she shared the same feelings. Those feelings would last forever, and I knew if I didn't make this decision now…

* * *

"…my vows to you would never be the same."

I was sitting on the edge of that same cliff where I proposed to Emmy. The sun was just about in the same place as it was so long ago. I didn't have a ring, or a plan, but she accepted my proposal anyway, and it was brought to fruition just days after I won my second trophy.

A couple of days had passed since I left on my year-long vacation. I was greeted in my hometown by Nate, mom and dad, and half of the residents. I only stayed for two days before moving on, making my way across to Johto, until I was here, to cherish one of the greatest aspects of my life. It was true, that we were only sixteen when we were married, but it was the right choice in the right direction. I sighed, got up, and placed a daffodil at this spot—she always loved daffodils.

"No one can replace your love," I whispered, and turned back into the forest. As soon as I found my way back to the route, a truck passed, hitting a rock. Its cargo was thrown around violently, until a small container fell off the back. I threw my bag under it and it landed safely. "Hey, wait!" The truck went on, as if nothing had happened and it didn't hear me. "Ain't this a bitch?" I groaned, and picked up the container. I guess it couldn't hurt now to look at its contents. "Whoa," An egg! Another egg! I just left the site of my proposal to Emmy and now I found an egg? Just like that, too, it started to crack open, so I placed it on the ground. Two small green arms poked out of it, followed by a large tail, and two small, similarly colored legs. I pulled a towel out of my bag and peeled the rest of the egg off of this…Treecko? It was femaile, and as rare as that ever happened in its species it brought me to a conclusion: If this was my third chance at revealing Emmy, then I couldn't pass it up.

I wiped the embryo fluid off of her, and picked her up. I knew now, what I should've known then. "Emmy? Is that you?" No response. Instead, she bit my finger. "OW!" I pried her off and looked at her. "Well, it was worth a shot," I zipped up my bag and swung it over my shoulder. I looked down at this Treecko, and decided to name her like I had previously done for Millie. "Welcome to the world, Amia."

In another language that dad told me about so long ago, that word was supposed to mean "beloved". And beside that love which I deeply cherished with Emmy, I would, without a doubt, express this with her…after she drops that nasty habit of biting me.

"Two peas in a pod," I mumbled, and cradled her in my arms and continued walking.

* * *

**From beginning to end, I enjoyed writing this. Though this is not the end, this completes the story of a three-part series, and I hope you enjoyed reading every word. Don't forget to review.**


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